


Endurance in Darkness

by DanieXJ



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Xena: Warrior Princess
Genre: Character Death, F/F, F/M, Minor Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan, Minor Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood, alternative universe Evil Charming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2015-09-07
Packaged: 2018-04-17 06:36:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 47,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4656396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanieXJ/pseuds/DanieXJ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>We've met three people who've hosted The Dark One, but do we know what the Dark One really is? As Regina and Emma's friends and family in Storybrooke try to save her from the Darkness we may just find out what The Dark Power really wants.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DitchingNarnia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DitchingNarnia/gifts).



> I’d really like to thank skepticpotato, my Beta, for well… Beta-ing this (and any mistakes that are left are all mine). Your second pair of eyes were awesome! I don’t usually use a Beta, so it was a learning experience for me. But, more than that (yes, I just used but… I could rephrase it, but, I’m not gonna in this case… Although I'm pretty sure that I'm never going to look at the word 'but' the same after this experience. :P) she wound up being my cheerleader also, and she was a great one! :)
> 
> And ditchingnarnia for being my artist. Those who do videos are amazing people, and to have to deal with my crazy amount of stuff in this story too.... :) And I think that the video is perfect. (Wait, did I really write all that... :))

_The two dark haired women fought. Going at each other like it was the end of the world._

_It looked like the end of the world. Where there had been grass and trees and buildings, stood scorched earth and rubble. The air crackled with power as the woman dressed all in black leather got blown backwards by the woman in skins. She picked up a piece of pipe and attacked again. She was pushed down repeatedly by the woman in skins, but kept getting back up. Both women used whatever was around them to try and . Their screams echoing in the emptiness._

_Neither would give up, and slowly the woman in skins started winning. It took longer and longer for the woman in black to get up. Her bruises started getting bruises. Her head swam. And then she was knocked onto her back. She had lost._

_The woman in skins stood over the woman in black, laughing, a triumphant gleam in her eye. Her glee was short lived and her laughter died in her throat, replaced with a single cough. The woman in black’s hand had moved fast, and the woman in skins looked down, stunned. A piece of pipe stuck through her. She pulled it out and stared down at the wound. Then at the woman in black, “This isn’t the end…” She disappeared in an explosion of sparks._

_The woman in black lay down again, staring up at the sky, “It never is…”_

oOOOOo

“Emma— Emma—” Snow called out. The dagger clattered to the ground, and Emma was nowhere to be seen.

Regina was the first to move. She scanned the pavement, shed Robin’s arms, and with two steps she got to the dagger a beat before Hook did. She ran her fingers along the new name. “Damn it.”

Hook held out his hand, “Give it here, Regina.”

Regina shook her head, “No.”

Hook reached for the dagger again anyway, “I love her, I’ll—”

“No.” Hook took a step towards Regina hook first. Regina didn’t move, “I dare you to try it Mr. Jones.”

Hook took a step forward, met Regina’s gaze and didn’t move again, “Give me the dagger now.”

Hook’s growl had carried, and their little tête-à-tête had finally gotten the attention of the others in the road. Especially Snow and David. They walked over to Regina and Hook. “Regina, you seem certain that you should keep the dagger.” Regina didn’t respond, “Why?”

Regina pulled her gaze away from Hook, “Three reasons. One, if I’m going to figure out how to fix this, fix Emma, I have to have possession of it. Two, I have the magic to defend it from anyone who wishes to steal it. And three, I don’t trust any of you anymore.” She glanced at Snow and back to David, “Especially you two at the moment.”

David looked back at his wife as well, then turned to Regina and put his hand over hers. “Okay.”

Hook blustered, “What— no— she’s the bloody Evil Queen. She’ll be able to control your daughter. Make her do anything. She could make Emma kill you, or kill the town.” He paused, “Or your son.”

David met Regina’s eyes and didn’t blink or look away, “But, you won’t do that, will you?”

“I will not.”

David nodded, “I believe you, and I have a condition. It never leaves your side.”

Hook threw his hands up, “You’re all talking about this like— like you’re deciding what to wear. She was the Evil Queen! She tried to kill you, tortured you, never uttered a word that wasn’t a lie.” 

Everyone ignored Hook.

Regina hefted the dagger in one hand, the fingers of her other hand tracing the eight new letters that adorned it. “That will be cumbersome.”

“Come back to the apartment with us. I’ll make you a leather sheath for it.”

Regina looked up at David, surprised, “You can work leather?”

The ghost of a smile graced David’s lips, “Hey, I’m not just a pretty boy king you know.”

Regina stared at David for a moment before shaking her head. “Right. So— I’m going to go check on Belle and Rumpel—”

“—and then come to the loft.”

Regina nodded, “Yes. We’ll start with a locating spell to find Emma.”

Hook frowned, “Or you could summon her with the dagger. Since that’s the whole point of having the damn thing.”

“I said I wouldn’t use it. Summoning her, I consider that using it Hook.”

Hook’s face was stony, except for one of his eyes that twitched, however he didn’t speak again.

David held a hand out, “Regina, I know that we have to earn back yours… and eventually Emma’s trust. This is the first step in that. I believe that you’re on the level.”

Regina shook David’s hand firmly, “I am. So, ten minutes?”

It was Snow who nodded and spoke, “Our apartment.”

Hook looked between the three former rulers. He’d been totally ignored by all of them even as he’d gotten more and more angry. With a grumble, he stalked away.

Snow and David left for their apartment, leaving Robin and Regina alone in the middle of the street. “Regina” Regina turned towards Robin. “Are you sure this is a good idea? Having that dagger, everyone will want it.”

Regina looked down at it, “I can feel it. Bad things will happen if I don’t hold on to this dagger.”

Robin didn't get to give his opinion on the matter because Henry came sprinting from Gold’s shop. “Mom, Mom… where’s… Mom?”

Regina caught Henry around the waist, not letting him get all the way into the road, “She’s not here. We don’t know where she is. I need to check on Rumpel and Belle, and then we’re making a plan at Snow and David’s apartment. We’ll start there. Okay?”

Henry looked down at the dagger. “That’s… that’s Mom’s name. The dagger, it has Mom’s name on it.”

Regina nodded, “I know.”

Henry looked up at Regina, “We’ll… we’ll save her, right, Mom?”

Regina pulled Henry to her and closed her eyes, “We will… you should go to David and Snow's apartment. I’ll be right there, okay?” She glanced at Robin, “Will you go with him?”

Robin nodded, “Of course, of course…” He gave her a half a smile, gave her a half a hug and a kiss, and slung his arm over Henry’s shoulders.

Regina continued across the street and into Rumpelstiltskin’s shop. Belle cradled the still unconscious Rumpelstiltskin in her arms and the Apprentice seemed to be sleeping. Belle looked up as Regina approached. 

“It’s not you? Who’s the dark one now?” Her eyes wandered to the dagger in Regina’s hand, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t want his name to come off this way, not like this.” She paused, “Will you kill him?”

Regina knelt down next to Rumpelstiltskin, “Like it or not he is the reason that we all have what we have, are where we are,” she paused, “I know a spell, maybe, but I’ll need Santa’s help over there. Apparently, he likes sleeping through the hard parts.”

The Apprentice groaned, “I was just inhabited by the Dark One, then had it banished from me in a matter of moments. Forgive me if I’m a bit tired... Regina.” 

He pushed himself up onto one arm, “What is your plan?”

Regina glanced at him, then looked back to Belle. “I will combine their hearts.”

“No.” The Apprentice spoke so fast that his exclamation nearly overlapped with the end of Regina’s sentence.

Regina’s gaze didn’t waver from Belle, “It’s your choice, Belle. You're the only one left. Neal is dead, Milah's dead. It's up to you. This won’t be like when I took Snow’s heart and split it in two. Rumpel’s too far gone for that to work. I can’t promise that you both will live either.”

The Apprentice interrupted Regina, his eyebrows furrowing as he studied her, “You split a heart. By yourself?”

Regina still paid no attention to the Apprentice. “This will connect you in ways that I cannot predict. I know that you still love him a bit, but, this will be more than that. If you have any— any reservations at all, any doubts then we’ll find another way.”

Belle sat, silent, for a long time. “What happened to Emma?”

Regina went with the change of subject, “She—” Regina cleared her throat, “She’s the Dark One now.” 

Regina showed Belle the name on the dagger.

“I’m sorry.”

Regina nodded, “I’ll figure it out. Belle—”

Belle blew out a breath, “When I look in his eyes, all I see is the man I love. I know he hasn’t been perfect, but who of us has. I— yes. Try it.”

The Apprentice lay back down, “You’ll have to try it alone then.”

Regina stood, slowly turned, and stopped at the Apprentice’s side. She grabbed a fist full of his shirt and pulled him up. “You will help me. We’re both too weak to try it alone, but, together…”

“No.”

Regina leaned closer, her lips next to his ear, “I know who you are…”

The Apprentice reared backwards, “Excuse me?” He pulled Regina’s hands off his shirt and rearranged it, “I sincerely doubt that you know my name… Regina.”

“Oh, I do, it came to me soon after you appeared. It all fell into place.” Regina raised an eyebrow, “Did you know that you have a tell? Every time you say my name, you pause. And, it’s true, I may not know your name, but I have deduced who you are. So, help me, and that fact stays between us.”

The Apprentice stared at Regina for a long moment, then slowly sat on the edge of the cot. “What do I need to do?”

Regina knelt next to Rumpelstiltskin again, putting the dagger under one of her legs, “I just need your power. Whatever you have left. So, if you’re able to not be a spineless mouse for a moment, put your hands on my shoulders.” 

He groaned as he stood, and then knelt behind Regina, however after a moment Regina felt his hands on her shoulders. “Okay. Now, concentrate.”

Belle picked up Rumpelstiltskin’s hand and kissed it, then moved closer to Regina. Regina met her eyes, “This will hurt.” 

Belle nodded and winced as Regina plunged her hand into her chest. Regina hand came back out with a very brightly red colored heart in it. She plunged her other hand into Rumpelstiltskin’s chest, it came out with the strangely glowing white heart. “Concentrate, Apprentice.”

“I was concentrating until you opened your mouth, Evil Queen.”

“Didn't pause before that one did you Apprentice?” Regina gave a half a chuckle, which caused a frown to cross Belle’s face. “Regina?”

Regina shook her head, sobered, and nodded, “I don’t know what exactly this will do.” 

She put the two hearts next to each other, then closed her eyes and pushed them together. At first, nothing happened. The hearts deformed a little, each smooshing into the other, but nothing else happened at first.

Then came what seemed like a clap of thunder and flash of lightning combined, and the two hearts were one. Regina nearly fell backwards. “Let go.”

The Apprentice was stunned and unmoving. “Wh—what?”

“Let. Go. Of. Me.”

He dropped his hands as if he’d been scalded. “Why?”

Regina glanced over her shoulder, “Because this part I can do on my own, and I can see you eying the dagger.” 

After a moment he went back to the cot, and Regina looked up at Belle, “Ready?”

Belle shook her head, “Not in the least.”

Regina took the now regular looking heart in her hands and with a fierce twist, it became two halves. She shoved one of them into Rumpelstiltskin’s chest and the other a bit more gently into Belle’s. Then, they waited. And waited. Belle leaned down next to Rumpelstiltskin’s head, whispering something or other, and Regina stood, picking up the dagger and closing her eyes. 

There was a gasp for breath and Regina opened her eyes to see Rumpelstiltskin staring up at her. He was silent for a minute, gathering strength, “You’ve won. You’ve defeated Rumpelstiltskin. You hold the key to The Dark One’s power and you’re the strongest magic user in Storybrooke and possibly all the realms.” He coughed, “You can get your happy ending and destroy everyone else’s.”

Regina paused, “Yes, and four years ago, I would have.”

oOOOOo

A woman pulled her head back into the back room of Gold’s shop and smirked. “Perfect.” She had dark brown hair, and her voice had a rasp to it as if her vocal cords had been rubbed raw with sandpaper. Her eyes were dark with makeup and her cheek bones high, especially when she smiled. A smile that had no warmth, no joy to it. “This world will be perfect.”

oOOOOo

Regina paused in the middle of the street. She was on her way to David and Snow's apartment, however something compelled her to stop. A circle of discoloration. That was the only clue that anything different, anything life altering, had happened on the spot. 

A chill went through her and she looked down at the dagger. Her hand shook just a bit. She wasn’t using the dagger, but even simply holding on to it was hard. It, or whatever magic it held within it, was screaming in her head. And the screams were even louder than when she’d held it to release the fairies. She assumed that it was an echo of the evil people who had been possessed by it. Though why it was suddenly louder she had no idea.

She’d had the noise in her head since the moment she took the dagger off the ground. She sighed and started towards Snow and David’s apartment again. After one step the screaming got louder. She frowned, and stepped back. It abated a little. She stepped the way she’d come, from Gold’s shop, the cacophony of sound got louder again. Her frown deepened.

She took her eyes off the dagger and instead, looked around town. She was in the middle of Main Street, nearly in the center of the town. She held the dagger up and slowly turned in a circle. The only place in those three hundred and sixty degrees where the dagger’s screaming in her head had lessened even a bit was towards the woods.

Regina looked down at the dagger. “The castle…” Before she could think better of it she waved her hand and disappeared in a puff of purple smoke.

She appeared by the castle and the dagger went silent. Emma lay along the longest part of the playground equipment, unconscious. Regina carefully approached the newly-turned Dark One. Emma didn’t move. Finally she reached up towards Emma, touching her arm, still Emma stayed unconscious. 

Regina knew that the blonde couldn’t hear her, but spoke anyway. “Why did you do that Emma? I was ready, finally ready. Why Emma?” Regina stared at Emma for a moment more, then closed her eyes and both of them disappeared in a poof of purple smoke.

They reappeared in Snow and David’s apartment, near the bed on the main floor. 

“Mom?”

Henry was the first one to his Moms’ sides. He looked between Regina and Emma as Regina lowered Emma to the bed, “Is she…”

Regina shook her head, “I don’t know. She was like this when I found her.”

Snow put a hand on Regina’s shoulder and Regina moved to one side. Snow sat on the bed and took one of her daughter’s hands in her own. She spoke even though Emma wasn’t conscious. “Why did you do that Emma? Why?”

“Mom…” Henry engulfed Regina in a hug. They stayed that way for a few moments. Then Henry pulled away, “Ah, David needs the Dagger so that he knows how big to make the sheath.” Regina, paused, and after a second handed the dagger to Henry. “I’ll be right back.”

Regina watched Henry stride over to David. Then, her gaze went to the door that slammed open as Hook made his entrance. “Emma? They found you…” 

He went to the bed, and Regina’s gaze followed him. Emma may have been unconscious before, but no longer was. She was paying no attention to Hook though. 

Regina could feel the blonde’s eyes on her, not to mention the power pouring off Emma. Regina was nearly to the bed when the world suddenly got bigger.

From her place on the floor she heard Snow exclaim, “Emma… Emma Swan, you change her back Emma.”

With a pop, Regina was back to full size, and back to being human. She stayed on the floor for a beat, then slowly stood and regarded Emma, “A Cobra? That’s what you turned me into, right? So, you would have been the Mongoose?”

Emma shrugged and laid her head back down on the pillow. Regina stopped on the side of the bed opposite Snow and Hook, and after a beat, snapped her fingers. There was a squawk from the bed. A literal swan sat where Emma had just been. Hook dove across the bed hook first at Regina, “Turn her back. Turn her back or I’ll…”

Regina took a calm step backwards out of Hook’s reach and snapped her fingers again. Emma made a ‘pfft’ sound and a feather popped out from her mouth. “You may be more powerful now, but I’ve still been doing this much longer than you have Miss Swan.”

Emma sat up a bit so that she could meet Regina’s eyes, “I’ll keep my dagger.”

“No. I’ll keep the Dark One’s dagger.”

Emma started to get up, but Snow put a hand on her daughter’s chest, “Please… You look so pale Emma, just… rest?”

Emma removed her mother’s hand and stood. She didn’t stop until her nose was literally touching Regina’s. She put a hand on Regina’s chest. “If I ripped your heart out and crushed it to dust, no one would do a thing about it.” Regina didn’t blink, “No one could do a thing about it.”

Regina didn’t move. “Yes, you could kill me right now,” She paused, “In front of our son.”

Emma was still for a long moment, “You don’t get to give any orders into that thing.” Her eyes narrowed, “I hold a gun to… to Robin’s head, and even if my finger gets a little itchy on the trigger, you know what you get to do? You get to stand there and do nothing. Absolutely nothing. Promise me.”

Regina met Emma’s eyes, though it was a little hard at such close proximity, “I promise.”

Emma pushed away from Regina and sat on the edge of the bed. Snow let out the breath that she’d been holding. “You’re looking for a way to take all this power away from me.”

“I am.”

Emma spread her arms out to each side, “Maybe it will be different because I’m the savior.”

“Maybe.”

Emma made a fist and let it go, “Stop it. Just, stop it.”

“Stop what, Miss Swan?”

Emma practically growled under her breath, “Stop being so damn, damn…”

Regina raised an eyebrow, “…good and understanding. Someone has to be. Maybe I’m not the ideal choice. Still, someone has to be the voice of reason in this room, because you’re starting to spiral. Our son and your parents have put on brave faces, but are also wondering if this really can be fixed, and Hook…” Regina glanced at Hook, “I have no idea what’s going through your head Hook.”

David called from the other side of the apartment, “Regina?”

Snow stood, “We'll... I’ll come with you.”

As Snow walked next to Regina across the apartment, Henry sat down next to Emma and took one of her hands in his own. She stared down at it for a long moment, then at her son. To his credit Henry didn’t blink under the scrutiny. Then she closed her eyes.

“You would stop her. You’d use the dagger if she— if she threatened to kill someone in town?”

Regina shook her head, “No, I wouldn’t. Because I just gave her my word that I wouldn’t.”

“Regina.”

Regina shook her head, “It won’t come to that snow, and we’re done with this topic. David?”

He held out the newly made leather sheath, “It goes on your belt.”

“I’m not going to be wearing too many dresses until this is over, am I?”

David smiled just a bit, “That depends on how many belted ones you have.”

“Thank you, David.”

Snow’s attention was pulled away when Emma opened the door. “Emma— where are you going?”

Emma looked around, her eyes resting on Henry for just a beat longer than on everyone else. “Somewhere that’s not here.”

Henry spoke as Emma was nearly halfway through the doorway, “Wait, Mom. Stay with us at the mansion, please?”

The room went totally silent. Hook was the one who broke it, “Or, stay with me.”

Emma shook off his hand, “No.” Emma looked over her shoulder at Henry, “I— No. No to both, no to every one of you.” 

And then she was gone.

“Emma, wait.” Hook was out the door right on Emma’s heels.

Henry started to follow them too, but Regina forestalled him, “Henry. Let them be for now.”

Henry was still for a moment, then nodded, “Okay. I’m gonna go home then.”

Regina put a hand on his back, “I’ll be there. We’ll… I’ll think of something warm and comforting to make for dinner.”

Henry shook his head, “No, it’s okay Mom. We can have something from Granny’s or whatever.”

“No…” She trailed off, “No. Lasagna, or maybe some Mac and Cheese from scratch. Does that sound good?”

Henry looked a little sheepish, “Uh, yeah, I mean, yes, it sorta does, but you’re tired and…”

Regina pulled Henry towards her, hugging him for a moment, “It’s okay. Go… I’ll be there.”

Snow and David let Henry leave before speaking again. It was David who did, “You need to be in control of something, that’s why you’re going to tire yourself out making a meal for the two of you.”

Regina put a hand to her chest, and spoke with no mirth, “Who, me? Need control?”

Snow spoke, “You’ll keep an eye on her. Magically, or…”

“Yes.” Regina looked down at the dagger at her side, then towards the door. “Yes, I will.”


	2. Chapter 2

_**~ 8 Months Later** _

Storybrooke was not the same town that had stood eight months before. The clock had stopped again, this time because it had a hole in its face. Some parts of the town were burned entirely to the ground, only the fireplaces and other masonry still standing. David was no longer simply the Sheriff of the town, but the head of what most people described as the Night Watch.

That was when they came out, at night. Emma, Hook, and her mysterious new friend, with the gravely voice, Tali. Sometimes they burned, sometimes they drank, and sometimes they weren’t out at all. That was when everyone got really worried.

The first night after Emma had become the Dark One she’d set Rumpelstiltskin’s shop on fire, Hook laughing at her side. It was only because Regina could transport magically that Rumpelstiltskin and Belle weren’t dead. The front of the store was a total loss, and by the next morning Belle had convinced Rumpelstiltskin that they needed to leave town.

The second night was when the new woman, Tali, had shown up, causing destruction and chaos, alongside Emma and Hook. Sometimes it seemed as if she was Emma’s teacher in all things darkness, and other times simply egging her on and laughing at the destruction they created.

After that second night. The sixty sixth night of Tali and Emma’s was when they set the harbor on fire, and it was also the night that the Apprentice bumped into Robin, who was in quite a hurry.

oOOOOo

_Robin slammed into a solid feeling body. He nearly fell before a pair of steadying hands gripped his shoulders. He’d collided with The Apprentice. “Oh- I apologize— Apprentice.” Robin shook his head, “That sounds— wrong.”_

_The Apprentice stared at Robin for a moment. He glanced around and then spoke softly, “Please don’t tell anyone else, but— if you’d like, you may call me TJ.”_

_“TJ?” The Apprentice nodded, “Alright. Shouldn’t you be helping everyone search for Merlin, helping the town stop Emma?”_

_The Apprentice shook his head, “I have done my part. Now it’s up to the others.”_

_Robin stared at The Apprentice for a long minute, then stuck his hand out, “I should go…”_

_The Apprentice shook Robin’s hand, and then didn’t let go. “Keep her happy.”_

_Robin pulled away, taking a step back, “Excuse me?”_

_“She’s the most powerful magic wielder in all the realms.”_

_“Zelena?”_

_“Regina. All she has to do is let herself be.”_

_Robin shook his head, “One of the most powerful, sure, but with the dagger the Dark One would be more powerful than anyone.”_

_The Apprentice shook his head, “Hate and Anger will never be more powerful than Love.” The Apprentice paused, “Please, do right by her.”_

_Robin frowned, “Have you been following me… TJ?”_

_The Apprentice gestured to everyone around them, “This— none of this right now is about you. But, just because you’re not the focus right now doesn’t mean it will always be that way.”_

_Robin stared at The Apprentice again before shaking his head. “You know what. I’m going to go now. You should either stop your vague insinuations and help us find a way to cure Emma, or leave us alone.”_

_Robin rushed away, leaving The Apprentice standing alone in the park. The bearded man sighed and shook his head._

oOOOOo

For Regina the third night to the two hundred and forty-third night all seemed to bleed into one another. Except for one.

On the ninety-second night Regina got a call from Ruby, she was David’s unofficial second in the Night Watch, something was happening on the Jolly Roger.

Regina poofed there, nearly giving Ruby a heart attack.

oOOOOo

_“What is it Ruby? I have so much to do tomorrow, not to mention I have no doubt that I’ll have another visit from Snow telling me how I’m doing nothing, and why can’t I find Merlin, and I should have…”_

_Ruby put her hand over Regina’s mouth, “Shh… look.” She pointed at the ship._

_It was only Hook and Emma on the deck, and Hook didn’t seem happy with her. “No, just— Listen to me Emma— This was fun for awhile, but, now it isn’t. You killed that woman. This isn’t you, not really, you know that.”_

_Regina tried to ask Ruby who Emma had killed, but Ruby wouldn’t move her hand from over Regina’s mouth._

_Emma threw her arms out to her sides, “Why not. I don’t have to deal with anything. I don’t like something, I burn it, or kill it. And the Purple Fairy was pissing me off.” She smirked and put a hand against his chest, “I thought you liked this side of me pirate.”_

_“It’s just…” He shook his head, “You’re not the Dark One Emma, Rumpel is, you’re… you’re better than this.”_

_Emma took a step back and put her arms on her hips, her voice frosty, “Oh, and what are you going to do about it?”_

_Hook grabbed Emma’s arm and pulled her towards him. He kissed her hard, not letting her go when she tried to pull away. Finally Emma got her hands in front of her and pushed him away, causing him to crash into the side of the ship. “What the fuck Hook?”_

_“I thought…” He stared at Emma, “I thought that true love’s kiss would… would cure you. Henry said…”_

_Emma shook her head, “You’re talking to… them. No, that’s it. We’re done Killian. Leave. NOW. GO!”_

_Hook jumped to his feet, “What, no, I just…” Before he could move another muscle he disappeared in a poof of smoke._

_Emma turned her back towards the shore and stared out at the water. Regina started to stand from where she was crouched, but Ruby put a hand on Regina’s shoulder and shook her head. She put a finger to her nose._

_A moment later someone came up from down below, it was Tali. “Hook left?”_

_Emma turned, her arms crossed over her chest, “Don’t pretend that you give a damn. What do you want?”_

_“I’m leaving for a bit. I have something else to do.” Tali paused, “You’re not going to turn back into the Savior while I’m gone. That would be a shame.”_

_Emma raised her chin, “I’m the Dark One.”_

_Tali clapped Emma on the shoulder. “A suggestion. Kill him. It will free you like you’ve never been freed before.” With that she disappeared. No smoke, no noise, just one moment she was there, the next she wasn’t. Emma looked over towards where Regina and Ruby were hiding, didn’t seem to see them, and looked out at the sun that had just poked itself above the horizon. With a glance over her shoulder again, she poofed away._

_Regina waited until Emma’s smoke cleared, and then poofed both she and Ruby away as well. They arrived back at the Sheriff’s office a second later, startling David. Regina shook her head, “I have to go check on Henry. The magic protections on the house should hold but…”_

_David nodded, “You’re his mother. Go.” She poofed away and David turned to Ruby, “What happened?”_

oOOOOo

Regina, pulled herself out of her thoughts, and closed her eyes against the noise that had interrupted one of her better nights of sleep. Robin grumbled from next to her. “Just-- just let someone else clean up after her this time Regina. It’s been eight months of this. You haven’t gotten a full night of sleep in all that time. And we have an ultrasound with Zelena tomorrow, just… She’s only doing it to get your attention. To get back her dagger. And one day she will. You’ll be so tired you’ll give her an opening and she’ll take it.”

Regina opened her eyes, her gaze going to the dagger in its sheath on the bedside table. She rolled to a sitting position her legs dangling off the side of the bed and ignoring Robin picked up the still ringing cell phone. “Yes?” She listened for a moment as she stood, “I’ll be there momentarily Ruby.” She stood perfectly still in front of her dresser for a moment.

She jumped a little as Robin put a hand on her shoulder, “Just stay Regina.”

Regina took out a pair of jeans, she’d found that wearing slacks while trying to battle the Dark One wasn’t a good idea, they tended to get shredded. She missed her slacks. She went to her closet for a top, still not facing Robin. “I can’t Robin, this is my town. I literally created it, and, she’s… she wouldn’t want me to let her destroy it.”

Robin took his hand away with a sigh and took a step back. “Where is she rampaging now?”

“Blacksmith’s…”

Robin nodded, crossing his arms over his chest, “Right. Nyx’s place. I’ll…”

Regina finally turned, putting a hand to Robin’s chest, “No. It’s alright. Stay here with Roland.” She threaded the belt with the dagger on it around her waist. Cinching it closed as tightly as it would go. She frowned. She nearly needed to punch another hole in the leather so it would tighten enough. Robin was right about one thing, she wasn’t sure how much longer she’d be able to take on the Dark One’s power, her fury. Something was going to give, and soon, if she didn’t figure out a way to ‘cure’ Emma.

Robin put a hand on Regina’s arm to make her pause, “If you know she wants the dagger, why take it with you Regina.”

Regina gave Robin’s hand a pat and moved towards the room’s door. “Because if I have it on me then she comes after me, not you and Roland.” 

With that she left the room. By the time she got to the mansion’s front door Henry had joined her, already clad in his winter coat, hat, and gloves. Months ago Regina had tried to convince Henry that he couldn’t come along. Needless to say, he’d come along anyway. Henry frowned, “Mom?”

Regina shook her head, grabbing her own winter gear. To add insult to injury it had been an extremely cold Maine autumn and winter so far, “Let’s take care of this.”

Henry rubbed at his eyes as he nodded.

oOOOOo

The Dark One held a fireball in each hand and and slowly looked around the smithy. “Eight months ago I didn’t even know that this could be so damn fun. That I could feel so happy being so evil.”

The blacksmith, Nyx, stood to one side, watching, her arms crossed over her chest. She was very tall, taller than Emma, her dark hair went just past her shoulders, although it was pulled back into a ponytail. The other noticeable part of her was her eyes, she had what could only be described as piercing blue eyes. They tracked everything even as she stood still. “You will regret this later.”

The Dark One laughed, throwing one of the fireballs. It impacted against the back wall, setting it on fire. She laughed again, throwing the remaining fireball towards Nyx.

Nyx took a calm step to the side and the burning ball of fire missed her. The Dark One narrowed her eyes, shook her head, and then a frown creased The Dark One’s face. She took a step towards Nyx, her eyes losing all the white in them, and spoke in a voice that seemed to reverberate through the small space, “Who are you?”

“Excuse me?”

The Dark One tilted her head to one side, “Your name is Nyx. You’re the blacksmith. But, I know you. Why do I know you?”

Nyx let her arms drop to her sides. “Well Emma, we’ve met before, I fixed your Bug. Then took off the boot our Mayor had put on it. Did becoming the Dark One make you an idiot too Emma?”

The Dark One narrowed her eyes, “Ha ha. And, no, Emma does not know you. I… know you.” The shook her head and waved her hand towards Nyx, “It’s your eyes…” The Dark One took a step back, “What… who the hell are you? Who?”

“I think that all that darkness has gone to your head Swan.” Nyx held out a hand, “I’m Nyx, and my eyes are just eyes. I’m as human as you are. I probably have a coupla things around here that could prove I have blood as red as yours.”

The Dark One paused, then grabbed a Swiss Army knife off of one of the shelves. She flicked it open and with a quick cut the blood, that was in fact red, flowed from Nyx’s arm. “Huh.”

Ruby appeared and rushed past Emma, grabbing a rag from the bench, and pressing it against Nyx’s arm. “Emma, what the hell?”

“She said I should.”

Ruby shot Emma a look, “We need to find a damn cure to that dagger. Because you’ve never been an asshole before, and now you are.”

The Dark One met Ruby’s eyes for a moment, and some of the white came back into Emma’s eyes. Emma shrugged. “Okay.” She glanced at Nyx, “Maybe you’re human. But, you’re nothing like the rest of us.”

Emma left and Ruby sighed, “Sorry about that.”

“Oh, you’re responsible for The Dark One now?”

“No, I just meant…” Ruby trailed off. 

Nyx interrupted Ruby, “I know what you meant. That wasn’t Emma. Did you see her eyes go dark. That was entirely the evil that possesses Emma. Emma wasn’t speaking, Emma wasn’t in control at all.” Nyx winced just a bit.

“I don’t think it was deep.” Ruby held out what seemed like a clean rag.

Nyx took the rag from Ruby, “I won’t be killed even if I bleed out. And, I’ve been crucified, this pain is nothing compared to that.”

Ruby stared at Nyx, blinking, “What? Crucified… when, why, how…”

Nyx shook her head, “Doesn’t matter. The black eyes. That didn’t happen with Gold. I’d wager that it’s not a good sign. That somehow Emma’s… experience with The Dark One is going to be vastly different than Gold’s ever was.”

Ruby still looked confused, “And what the hell was Emma babbling on about? You… You look like you’ve always looked, Italian.”

“Greek actually. And… maybe The Dark One sees something else in me?” Nyx grabbed a large fire extinguisher from the ground and with only half a wince hefted it, spraying down the two fires until they went out.

As their last embers went dark Regina jogged into the smithy, Henry still outside, “Sorry, I just…” She sighed. “Nyx, I’m… so, very, very sorry…”

Nyx put back down the extinguisher. “It’s just a wall—” she glanced over at Regina, “I set it on fire once myself. So… I’m fine. Go on, my guess is that this won’t be her last stop tonight.”

Regina let out a slow breath and looked towards the doorway, “Ruby, will you get David. Thank you for calling me by the way…”

“Never thought I’d say this to —you—, but,” the younger woman clapped Regina on the shoulder, “We’re in this together.” Ruby kept speaking in a mumble as she walked away, “Woulda been helluva lot easier if the damn true love’s kiss from Hook would have just worked.”

Regina was surprised when she heard a chuckle from Nyx at Ruby’s comment. “You don’t believe in True Love?”

Nyx shook her head, “This town is obsessed with it. I was walking home when the ‘true love’s kiss’ by Hook happened.” Nyx paused, “I also noticed you watching.”

Regina looked away, “I—”

Nyx studied Regina, “And Henry? What did he think about it when you told him?”

Regina met Nyx’s gaze again, “He wants his mother back.”

There was what sounded almost like a high pitched scream and Regina took off at a quick walk. Nyx watched her go for a moment, then looked up at her now burned again wall. She rolled her back, the scar that covered it always gave her trouble when heat was introduced, either fire or the heat of summer. She went to the doorway and closed the door to the street. She took a deep breath and concentrated for a moment, and then she was just gone.

oOOOOo

“No, no, no… Emma, what are… No, not the Jolly Roger.” David held Hook back as he tried to get to his burning ship.

Emma stood in the middle of the inferno, a mirthless smile on her face. “It’s just a boat, and you love me more… right Captain?”

“Emma- stop it.”

Emma looked at the bump that the dagger made under Regina’s coat. “Make me.”

“Fight it Emma. The good in you can win.”

Emma poofed off the ship, appearing in front of Regina, in her personal space. She grabbed Regina’s waist pulled the brunette to her. She captured Regina’s lips with her own, a hand behind Regina’s head. At first Regina tried to jerk away, but Emma simply pulled them closer together, her eyes darkening, but not turning entirely black. Regina wasn’t sure if it was the Dark One’s power, or something else, but she felt herself falling into the kiss, and returning it.

Regina was physically yanked backwards by Ruby who then practically yelled at Emma, “Stop it. STOP IT.”

Emma looked from Ruby to Regina and back to Ruby. “I’m done playing. The rest of the town was a delightful warm up. But now, I’m more powerful than ever. The mansion is next,” and then disappeared again.

Henry gasped, “Mom.”

Regina put two fingers against her lips, then let them drop as she cleared her throat, “She won’t Henry. She can’t. I’ve put wards against it. Wards that…” Regina paused, pushing aside her coat, she put a hand against the dagger’s hilt, “…without the dagger she cannot break.”

Henry let out a breath, “Right, right, I know, but I… I worry about Roland.” He studied Regina for a moment, “Mom, why did she kiss you?”

Regina paused, then shook her head, “I have no idea Henry.” 

“Will she… will she try something else tonight?”

Regina put a hand over Henry’s shoulders. “I think… I think she’s done for tonight. Let’s go home okay? Tomorrow’s another day.”

“Mom… it’s been 8 months, do you think we won’t…”

Regina cut him off, “We’re going to find a way. Everyday Lily, Mal, and I, we’re scouring everything we can. Ruby’s helping too. We will find a solution.”

oOOOOo

Emma appeared in the back of Rumpelstiltskin’s former shop. Months before she’d destroyed it. Then she’d realized that if she magically repaired the inside and kept the outside looking as though it was a burned out hulk it would be the perfect place to hide from everyone.

Emma just didn’t understand it. Rumpelstiltskin had never been this angry when he’d held the dark energies in himself. Emma had told Hook and everyone that she was happier than she’d ever been. That was a lie. She was angry, always in a rage, and no matter what she did it wouldn’t abate. Sometimes she even blacked out entirely. THose were the most terrifying times. Not knowing what she’d done.

Of course, maybe Rumpelstiltskin had just learned to deal with it. After all he had been The Dark One for centuries. It wasn’t like she could ask him either way. He was no longer in Storybrooke either. He and Belle had crossed the town line months ago, running so that Rumpelstiltskin would never again have the Dark One’s power’s inside of him. 

Emma conjured a fireball and threw it at the fire place. She screamed. Nothing helped. 

oOOOOo

Regina sat in the living room and stared straight ahead. Thinking. It wasn’t the first time that she’d sat staring into space and probably wouldn’t be the last. At some point in the last eight months it had actually turned into her nightly ritual. She’d make herself, Robin, Roland, and Henry dinner. Sometimes David, Snow, and Little Neal would show up uninvited too, but usually it was just the four of them.

After dinner Robin would usually go out, meeting his Merry Men in town or in the forest. Sometimes all four would stay in and watch a movie that Roland generally got to choose. She knew every line of Despicable Me and was quickly picking them up from Cars too.

There was also the time that Henry suggested card games and Regina had beaten the other three at every game they’d tried. She’d even kept winning after Roland had gone to bed and she’d taught Henry poker. They had both put aside the rest of the world for those hours. Laughing and joking like their lives weren’t being destroyed.

That was if Robin was present though. If Robin wasn’t there, Regina would put Roland to bed, Henry would retreat to his room, and Regina would fall into a fitful sleep. Then, she’d be woken up by a phone call from David, Ruby, Snow, or someone else in town. Sometimes Robin would be back and would remind her that it wasn’t all her problem, but she - and sometimes Henry - would go, and either directly confront Emma or try to fix whatever Emma had destroyed. Then, she’d come home and sit in her living room perfectly still, staring straight ahead.

Once Henry had come down for a glass of water and found her like that. She’d told him that she was okay, that he’d just caught her thinking too hard. They’d laughed and hugged, but Regina had lied to her son. She wasn’t sure exactly why she sat alone and still in the middle of the night instead of doing something productive or going back to sleep up with Robin.

She was almost ready to go up to bed, after all she and Robin were slated to see the doctor with Zelena for an ultrasound in the morning, she should probably not go into that dead tired. She’d have to be in top shape, especially mentally to go up against Zelena. Instead all night she’d been trying to figure out why Emma would kiss her out of the blue and coming up with no rational explanations at all. Both she and the house were perfectly silent when she felt the ripple of magic. The feeling had come from the kitchen and Regina was up and in her favorite room of the house in the time it took her heart to skip a beat.

She frowned. It didn’t look like anything was missing. Her eyes slowly surveyed the room until they got to the external speaker where her iPod Nano usually sat. The iPod was gone. She knew that it had been there during the preparation of dinner because she and Roland had danced to a couple of his favorite kids songs.

With Rumpelstiltskin no longer in town, and Zelena’s magic shackled with the enchanted black cuff so that she wouldn’t hurt the baby, there weren’t too many people who could have magicked it away. The fairies wouldn’t have stolen from her. It could have been Tinkerbell playing some sort of trick, however, Regina doubted it. That left one person in town with the power to do it.

Regina considered her options. She could simply go upstairs, go to bed. It was only an iPod. Or she could confront the culprit, confront Emma. Maybe even put a plan that she’d been halfway formulating for a few months into play.

Regina took out her Blackberry and sent Henry a text that he would hopefully get tomorrow morning. ‘Going Out. Keep an eye on Roland. Walk him to school tomorrow please. L,M’.

oOOOOo

“Miss Swan.”

Emma looked up from the chair she sat in. The music playing so loudly that Emma had barely heard Regina come in. The iPod was magically playing at a very loud volume without the aid of external speakers. It was tuned to the radio, and playing something about ‘paying no mind to the demons’ and that ‘if you get lost, you can always be found’. Emma raised a hand as Regina came around the wall and into the back area. After a moment of it hovering there, no fire or energy materializing in it, she shrugged and dropped it. “Parents would be pissed now if I killed you. Before, I probably would have gotten back into their graces, but now… Why are you here? Gonna finally kill me?”

Regina stood with her hands on her hips, “You stole my iPod.”

Emma shrugged, “So, take it back.”

Regina waved her hand and the iPod vanished. “Why did you want me here?”

“Want you here, why would I want you here? All you do is stop me. Every time I try to have a little fun…” The blonde’s gaze went to the dagger at Regina’s side, then back to Regina’s face. “I’m more powerful now you know, I could take it off you.”

“Okay.”

A fireball shot towards Regina before she could blink or move. She threw her hand up, deflecting it out into the front part of the shop. It made a horrendous crash. Emma sprang from her sitting position, grabbing Regina by the arm, and Regina took that contact as a way to change the scenery, poofing them both out of the shop and into the middle of Main Street.

Emma shoved herself away from Regina, circling her like they were in a boxing ring, “What, you think I don’t know a set up when I see one. You’re… trying to go… undercover. I kissed you, and so you saw your opening. You think that the kiss meant something, and so now you’ll pretend like you’re back to being dark and evil. Then you’ll watch me, not let me go too far off the deep end. Report back to my parents, get goodie two shoe points. Hook tried that, sucked at it.”

“I’m not Hook.” Regina tilted her head, “And you don’t seem so evil to me Emma, you just used the words goodie two shoes. I’m shaking in my boots.”

Emma threw her hands out, blowing Regina backwards and through the window of the abandoned Any Given Sundae store. She wound up against the counter and winced, but slowly stood as Emma climbed through the broken window. “So? Is fighting back against the ru--” the rest of the word came out as more of an ‘urk’ as Regina grabbed Emma around the throat.

“You think because you’ve gained a little more power that you can beat me? Never little Em. You’re nothing but a shadow of The Dark One.”

Emma choked out, “’till don believe you.”

Regina waved her free hand and they disappeared in a poof of purple smoke again. They reappeared in front of the mansion and Regina threw Emma towards the middle of Mifflin Street. Emma rolled to a stop and was standing a second later. She started to go after Regina again, but stopped when she saw where they were. An evil smirk came to her face, and her eyes went black, “Are we going to fry the old bearded one?”

Regina created a fireball and held it in her hand for a moment, with a flick of her wrist she threw it, but not at the house. It broke through the Benz’s back window, lighting the entire interior on fire. Emma did a double take, the darkness in her eyes fading just a bit. “You love that car, somethin’ about how it drives or the seats, or…”

The fire got to all four tires at the exact time and the explosion of them all was so loud that even Emma jumped, then laughed. She threw her head back and laughed, throwing an arm around Regina as another car’s alarm started going off because of the force of the explosion. “We’d better go before David arrives.” 

“Where?”

Emma stared at Regina in silence. thought for a second, “I know the place.” She shook her head, “You blew up your car. Ready for more?” Regina gave a short nod, and with that it was Emma’s turn to transport both of them away.


	3. Chapter 3

The library was a mess. Books were piled on every horizontal flat surface. Belle would have been aghast if she’d been in town to see it in that state. And amongst all the chaos sat mother and daughter, shoulder to shoulder, both hunched over books.

Lily rubbed a crick in her neck, trying to get the knot to relax. “Why are we doing this again?”

“For Regina.”

Lily stood, the books cascading off her lap. “Why?”

Maleficent stared down, “I owe her. She saved me from myself once upon a time. I’m returning the favor.”

Lily turned, crossing her arms over her chest, she shook her head, “Regina doesn’t need saving, Emma does.”

One side of Maleficent’s mouth went up in what was almost a smile, “I know Regina Mills, she needs to be saved, she just doesn’t know it.”

“We could be looking for my father instead of trying to fix Emma. There are supposedly three ways to stop The Dark One. True love’s kiss, which didn’t work. This guy named Merlin, who we still haven’t been able to get a bead on. Or killing her and one of us taking on the mantle.”

“Perhaps we’re doing both.”

That got Lily’s attention, “What?”

Maleficent held up the book she was reading, it had the title ‘Dragons’ written in cursive script across the front. “Looking for your father and how to un-Dark One Emma.”

“Oh.”

Maleficent pointed at the pile of books next to her, “Sit, read. Then we’ll go to Granny’s for breakfast, and you can tell me more about your time in Seattle.”

oOOOOo

“You look like shit, Regina.”

Regina studied her sister for a brief moment before answering, “Feel like it too.”

A smirk came to Zelena’s face, “Late night with the Mr.?”

“No.” Regina realized as she spoke that she probably should have lied. If she’d lied, then the next question wouldn’t have been asked. If she’d lied, she’d have been able to get out of the conversation with a minimum of fuss. But all her, ‘being good’ and ‘being a hero’ was changing who she was. Before Emma, she’d have lied to her sister and been done with it.

“Oh? Falling out of favor are we? He’s on a ‘dump the Mills’ sister spree?”

“Zelena…” Regina took a breath in, held it for a moment, then let it out, “Could we just… be silent until Robin gets here.”

Zelena tilted her head to one side, then smirked, “No, and since there’s nothing you can do to me until I have this little bundle of joy… I do believe I will keep talking.”

Regina stared towards the door, willing it to open. It didn’t.

“What did you do last night?”

Regina didn’t take her eyes off the door, “I don’t remember.”

Zelena shook her head, “I may not have this mythical ‘I can tell when people are lying’ thing that your former bestie Emma had, but, you’re lying. What did you do? Kill someone? Nah, you’re too good for that now. Something bad, but not… evil.” Zelena’s head swiveled slowly until she was staring at her sister. “Oh my god, I know what you did.”

Regina sighed, “No, you only think you know.”

Zelena chuckled, “Hey, we’re sisters remember, not to mention we seem to have the same types. And, while I am very much straight, she’s not bad to look at. I mean those arms alone.”

Regina didn’t respond, just put a hand to her forehead and tried to kneed away her headache. Zelena frowned, “These last two weeks, you’ve been nicer to me, why?”

Regina finally glanced at Zelena, then back at the door, “You’re my sister.”

Zelena studied Regina. “No. That’s not it. I tried to destroy your life, more than once now.”

Regina sighed and looked at her sister, “Other than Henry, you’re the only family I have.” She shook her head, “These last eight months of constant fighting, with Emma, Tali, even with Hook, they’ve given me many sleepless nights. I’ve done a lot of thinking.”

“So, just like that, we’re best buddies now?”

Regina put her hand on Zelena’s. “This…” Zelena pulled her hand away, “Becoming a mother, it will change you.” She paused, “It changes Mills women.”

Zelena rested her hands on her belly, “For good?”

Regina shook her head, “I don’t know. It made me better. I think it made Cora worse. You won’t know until you hold him in your arms.”

“Or her.”

Regina inclined her head, “Or her.”

The nurse came bustling through the door, apologizing as she came, “I’m sorry, I’m late. I apologize, I didn’t realize the time.” She glanced around, “Oh, good, Ro… the father isn’t here yet. So, are you ready for your final ultrasound?”

For the first time since Regina had entered the room Zelena lost her swagger just a bit. Regina wondered if she really was being vulnerable, or if it, like so much of Zelena, was all an act. Zelena nodded slowly, “Yes, yes I am.”

“Clorinda,” the nurse started a little, as if she hadn’t seen Regina in the room when she’d entered. She was a tall woman and held herself as if she’d spent her life doing hard work, “This is the 34th week, why does Dr. Nufer want yet another ultrasound? Usually the final ultrasound is around week 20.”

Zelena rolled her eyes, “You’ve spent the last eight months doing nothing other than reading up on pregnancy, haven’t you?”

There was no humor in the lines of Regina’s face, “No. I’ve spent the last eight months trying to protect this town from The Dark One.”

“You know I could…”

Regina interrupted her sister, “Help? Not while you’re pregnant.”

Regina’s response caught Zelena off guard and a slightly confused look came to the redhead’s face, “You must be tired. You just implied that if I weren’t pregnant you would let me help defeat your Emma.”

Regina didn’t respond to that.

Clorinda had stayed silent, watching the byplay between the sisters, but, during a pause in the banter she spoke up, “With all the magic involved in this pregnancy, Dr. Nufer just wanted to be absolutely sure that the little one in there is perfectly alright.” She gestured towards the door, “I’ll go see what’s keeping him.”

Both sisters were silent for a few moments after the door closed. It was Regina who broke the silence, “She’s not my Emma. And… I would… let you help.” She glanced over at Zelena, “I would no doubt regret it mightily, but I would let you help. I--”

Zelena sat forward just a bit, “Tell your big sister your problems, perhaps I can make them all go away… or kill them.”

Regina shook her head, “No problems, everything’s fine. It’s been a long eight months.”

Zelena chuckled, “You don’t have to tell me twice. If it’s your Mighty Hero, I could take him off your hands if you asked really nicely.” Her smile turned to a frown when Regina didn’t respond, “No. This is more than being tired. Tell me exactly what’s going on, although, I’ve probably already guessed most of it.”

“So you can use it against me the moment you figure a way out of this? No.”

Zelena got off the exam table and approached Regina, stopping so that they were nose to nose. “You. Don’t. Get. Them. You don’t get to raise her or him, you don’t get to be his or her mother, you-- don’t get to come… Near. Them.” She paused, “Just so we’re clear.”

Regina didn’t blink or look away from her sister. She also didn’t get to respond as the door swept open and Robin entered, followed after a moment by Clorinda. “My girls…”

Zelena sidled up to him, putting an arm around his waist, “And the next little leader of the Merry Men.”

“Or perhaps the next Mayor of Storybrooke, or whatever else he or she wants to do when she’s grown.” Robin extricated himself from Zelena’s arm and helped her back up onto the exam table. He then joined Regina, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Has the doctor been in yet, Regina? Zelena?”

Zelena stayed silent, watching her sister and Robin interact, while Regina shook her head. “Not yet, only the nurse.” Regina glanced over at Clorinda.

“Good, good. I haven’t seen Henry much recently, is he excited to have a little brother or sister?”

“He--” 

Regina didn’t get a chance to answer as Zelena did instead, “My child will not be Henry’s brother or sister.”

Robin patted Zelena on the shoulder, “We’ll figure it out. We’ll all be a family.”

Zelena’s hand curled into the position it would be in if she were about to throw a fireball. She looked up when Regina put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m not going anywhere, Regina.”

“I know.”

Zelena frowned, but didn’t speak again, instead she winced as the cold goop was put on her belly. A moment later the doctor entered and everyone’s attention went to him. Regina’s hand didn’t move for the entire exam.

oOOOOo

“Holy shit Maleficent… Mal… Mom…”

Maleficent smiled to herself, schooling her features before she looked over at Lily, “I take it you found something?”

“Blue… Blue knows where Merlin is. She’s the Rheul Ghorm right? Unless I’m reading this wrong, and since we’re using the translation spell that Regina gave us, I guess I could be.”

Lily put the book in Maleficent’s outstretched hand. She was silent for a moment, “It’s Old English. _The Rheul Ghorm and Myrddin Wyllt met under a white flag, and for a time there was peace in the land_.” Maleficent fell silent, “You’re right. That’s Blue and Merlin.”

Lily held out a hand, “Well, what are we waiting for?”

Maleficent took it and let herself be helped up, “I thought that you thought we should be looking for your father, not trying to save Emma?”

Lily shrugged, “This good thing, I’m trying it on for size.”

“Right now, want to go be a little less good and scare the wings off of a fairy together?”

Lily laughed, “But, shouldn’t one of us be the good cop Mom?”

Maleficent smiled.

oOOOOo

The Doctor and Clorinda left the room and Regina went about getting her things together to leave. Robin had left about halfway through the exam when he’d gotten a call from Little John about something or the other.

It had been a quiet exam. The doctor finding that everything was perfectly fine with the baby, and reminding Zelena that once the contractions were about five minutes apart she should come to the hospital. She, of course, had quipped that she lived in a hospital. There had been an uncomfortable silence after that.

It was Zelena’s weirdly gentle hand on Regina’s arm that stopped her from gathering her things. “Regina, I-- I need a favor.”

Regina stared at her sister, “A favor?”

Zelena nodded, “I need to find a Unicorn and touch it’s horn. I-- I need to know if my baby, if my boy, I think it’s going to be a boy. I need to know if he will live or not. Please? Will you help me find a Unicorn and see his future?”

“This isn’t the Enchanted Forest, Zelena.”

Zelena took her hand away from Regina, “You could have just said no.”

“I have— other things that I need to do tonight.”

Zelena rolled her eyes and rested her hands on her belly, “Right. Robin.”

“No. Emma…” Regina made a face, “That came out wrong.”

Zelena laughed, “You, I mean, it sure did come out.”

“No, you…” Regina made a fist and let it go. She then stuck her head outside the door for a moment before she made sure it was tightly closed. “What I’m about to tell you will no doubt bite me in the ass, but, last night I sorta…”

Zelena cut her sister off, “You had sex with the Dark One, it’s good, isn’t it?”

Regina held a hand up, “Don’t make me seal your mouth, Zelena. I did blow up my car, and Emma and I set fire to a few abandoned houses at the edge of town.”

“While having sex.” Regina shot Zelena a look, and the redhead continued when Regina didn’t dispute the statement or interrupt her, “Makes sense. The two most powerful people in the town right now, together…” Zelena laughed, “Sister, my sister,” she clapped Regina on the shoulder, “I knew you had it in you.” Before Regina could respond, Zelena’s grin turned to a frown, “Shouldn’t your big hunk of a man have noticed that your car was a wreck? Perhaps commented on it when he got here?” Regina frowned, “So, he was home when you got called to deal with The Dark One. Was he home when you got back?”

“I— I don’t know.”

“You’re lying.”

Regina blew out a breath, “If I try and find a unicorn, if we go tonight, will you be silent?”

Zelena closed her lips like a zipper.

Regina took a hold of one of Zelena’s elbows, “Let’s get you back to your cell.” She paused, “I’ll come for you tonight.” Regina shook her head, “I still don’t think there are any Unicorns here in Storybrooke…”

“…but you’ll try.”

Regina nodded, “Yes.”

oOOOOo

Maleficent pounded on the door of the convent. No one answered. She pounded again, “If no one opens this door I’ll burn my way in.”

A soft voice spoke up from next to Maleficent and Lily. “Are you looking for Blue? She’s not there.”

Maleficent turned. She seemed to tower over Nova, “And which fairy are you?”

“Nova?”

Maleficent looked Nova up and down, “Are you sure?”

Lily interrupted her mother, guiding Nova a few steps away, “I have a question for Blue. My Mom here is just…”

Nova glanced at Maleficent, “…evil?”

“Protective and sometimes a little overbearing. She’s only gotten to be a Mom for about eight months. Sometimes she overcompensates. Do you know where Blue is?”

Nova looked between mother and daughter, finally she answered, “The church.”

Lily smiled, “Thank you, Nova. Are you the one in love with Grumpy… Leroy?”

Nova gave Lily a shy smile, “We were, now…”

“Go for it, trust me.”

Lily started to walk back to her mother, but Nova stopped her, “Lily, do you have a true love here? Or anywhere?”

Lily shook her head, then leaned in a little bit, “I’ll tell you a secret, finding my mother, I think I’m good in the love department for now.”

oOOOOo

Snow barreled into the Mayor’s office. “We have to find a solution, if we don’t find a solution then she’ll be too far gone, I don’t know what it is, but we have to…”

Regina spoke over Snow’s rambling, “Stop.” Snow fell blessedly silent. “Start at the beginning I had a long night last night.”

Snow took a breath in and let it out, “May I sit?”

“The Queen is asking me if she may sit?” 

Snow gave Regina a look, “Now is not the time for games Regina. We have a crisis.”

Regina gestured towards the chair, “Sit, stand, it doesn’t matter to me. Just, please, get to the point.”

“David as well as Marco and the volunteer firefighters are going house to house, and it looks like they’re all out.”

“Snow, what the hell are you talking about?”

Snow frowned, “Where have you been? Ten farmhouses on the edge of town burned to the ground.”

“Ten?” Regina rubbed at a spot between her eyes that was beginning to throb.

Snow leaned forward, “Are you hungover? Have you been drinking Regina? This is no time to--”

Regina put a hand up, “I’m fine. Tell me about these fires. Was anyone hurt?”

“What? No… but the houses...”

Regina rested her head on her hand, “You do realize that I’m the Mayor of this town, a position that you and David unceremoniously gave back to me. I’m not the Volunteer Chief of the Fire Brigade, that’s Marco. I’m not the Sheriff either, that’s your husband. And so, I really have no idea why you’re bringing me this.” Regina paused and sat up straighter, “Unless you believe that I did it.”

Snow quickly shook her head, “No, of course not Regina. I— I think it was my daughter. I wondered…”

Regina answered Snow’s question before she asked it, “We, Mal, Lily, and I, we haven’t found anything yet. Ruby’s been helping as well, but, nothing. No mention of who Merlin is, or what he’ll be able to do to the darkness, or, anything…”

“Is Nyx alright? That was who Emma went after last night?”

Regina nodded, “Yes. And yes, she seemed fine. Snow, I should really finish this up,” Regina held up the paper on her desk, “so I can get home and start dinner, make sure that Henry’s started his homework, that Roland’s okay. He’s having some trouble at school.”

Snow frowned, “What about Robin?”

“He’s good with Roland.”

Snow held her hands up in front of herself, “I didn’t mean anything by it Regina. But perhaps I could get David to talk to him, give him some pointers. David’s really very good around the house, and with Neal. He’s a better diaper changer than I am.”

Regina stood, and was relieved when Snow stood as well, “I don’t think I wanted to know that. Thank you for telling me about the fires. I’ll make sure to check in with Marco and David the next time I see them.”

oOOOOo

“So, are we going in hot here too?”

Maleficent paused at the entrance to the church and faced her daughter. “You asked me why I was doing this. Why are you doing this Lily?”

“You asked me to stay.”

Maleficent raised an eyebrow, “A week Lily— I asked you to stay a week, it’s been eight months.”

Lily fingered the egg piece she wore around her neck. “Once upon a time, Em was all I felt I had in life—”

Maleficent silently met Lily’s gaze, then nodded and opened the large wooden door that led right into the sanctuary. “You take the lead this time.”

Blue sat in the front row of the pews, writing. Maleficent hung back and Lily approached the head fairy. “Ah— Blue? Or should I call you Mother Superior?”

Blue looked up, “Oh, Lily, hello. Sit down. And Blue is fine. What can I do for you young lady?”

Lily sat, glanced back at Maleficent, and bit the bullet, “I’d like to know if you know where Merlin is.”

Blue was silent for almost an entire minute, then she put down her clipboard, and turned to face Lily. “I don’t know where he is— no.”

“But you know him.”

“I did once, yes.” An almost sad smile came to Blue’s face, “He was a Wizard, the most powerful of them, and therefore the leader of the magic users. I was the leader of the Fairies. We— were in each other’s orbit, yes.”

“Is he my father?”

Blue shook her head, “I don’t know for sure. I can tell you that I never knew of him turning himself into a Dragon of any sort. That doesn’t mean he never did though. He went through a period where he experimented with all sorts of magic. Ah, and I believe he’s gay.”

Lily stared at Blue for a long moment. “Only in Storybrooke.”

“I’m sorry?”

She shook her head, “Only in Storybrooke do you guys lead with the magic. Always the magic…”

Blue ignored the barb and instead continued with the conversation, “Your next question will be if I know where he is. I don’t.”

Lily waited for a second, then prompted, “But—”

Blue looked over at Lily, “Why are you two doing this?”

“Why aren’t you?”

Blue blinked, “Excuse me?”

Lily gestured to the space around them, “You know more about magic than almost anyone else in town, especially now that Rumpel and Belle have left. You also apparently know Merlin, and yet, you’re sitting here—” she snatched away the clipboard, “doing what, your budget?”

Blue stood, taking back the clipboard, and smoothing her skirt, “I’ve told you what I know.”

She tried to go up the middle aisle, but Lily blocked her way, “No, you haven’t. I’m a very good liar. I know when someone’s lying to me.”

Blue stared at Lily for a long moment, “He had— a unique sense of humor. If he has chosen a new name it will be ironic. And with The Apprentice, his Apprentice in Storybrooke, Merlin won’t be far away.” Blue glanced over Lily’s shoulder, “Am I allowed to leave or will the two of you turn into Dragons and destroy the church?”

“Thank you.”

“Excuse me?”

Lily pointed at Blue, “There’s something… something you’re still not telling us. But, for now, thank you for telling us what you know.” Lily moved to one side and gave a half a bow.

Maleficent joined her daughter at the front of the sanctuary, “Do you believe in God, Lily?”

Lily winced, “With a name like Lilith, I got more crap than I should have in Sunday School, when I didn’t skip. Do I believe that there’s a white man’s head floating beyond our atmosphere who decides who gets miracles and who doesn’t? No. Do I believe that there is some… connection between all of us and the universe? Maybe. I mean, ‘We are made of star-stuff’ right?”

“Someone said that?”

Lily smiled, “Yeah, guy named Carl Sagan. For some reason, my adoptive parents had all of his books. That quote stuck with me. I’d…” Lily swallowed, “…I’d look up at the stars and know that even though you weren’t there next to me, we were made of the same stuff. Maybe billions and billions of years ago an atom that was a part of you had been next to an atom that was part of me.” Lily shook her head and wiped at her eyes. “It was stupid, I just…”

Maleficent pulled Lily into a hug, “It’s beautiful.”

Lily choked out a sob, “Parents didn’t think so. I was usually drinking or stealing something while staring up at those stars.”

Maleficent pulled away, “That’s my girl. Evil and philosophical.”

Lily laughed, “C’mon, we’ve gotta go figure out what name Merlin’s going by now.”


	4. Chapter 4

“C’mon, Killian, up and at ‘em. It’s time to get you home.”

“No home… burn’d, she burn’d it.”

David put an arm under Hook’s. “Then you’ll get a temporary stay in the drunk tank.”

“S’psd ta… sooposed to meet Em anyway…”

David looked around, “I don’t see my daughter.”

“S’ood me up. Grann’s pretty, bet I could…”

David looked up at the noise of a shotgun being readied to fire. He literally lifted Hook off the stool and jerked him towards the door, “Nope. You’ll have to leave wooing Granny for another night hot stuff. Tonight I’m going to save your life and put you in jail. C’mon now.”

“David.”

“Regina.”

Hook tried to lunge towards Regina as he exited Granny’s and Regina entered, but David had a good enough grip on him that he got nowhere. “This is’ll yer faul… all yer faul Evil Queen…”

Regina took a seat at the counter. “Regina, would you like something to eat?”

“Hmm?” Regina looked up at Granny, “No, no thank you. Just a shot of something strong. Very strong.”

“Strong. Storybrooke strong or Enchanted Forest strong?”

Regina tilted her head to one side, “How did you manage to get your Enchanted Forest whiskey to… survive the curse?”

Granny shook her head, “No idea. But, it’s here. You’re about to do something,” Granny glanced around her diner to see if anyone was paying attention, “something that could go horribly wrong and so you’re not going to tell Snow, or David, or me. Least I can do is provide you with some liquid courage.” She went underneath the counter, “Now, if you haven’t had my…”

“I have. Well, not first hand of course. One of my black knights had some and thought he might have a laugh at my expense. It didn’t work. So I am very sure that I will not pass out from one drink of your special Whiskey Widow Lucas.”

Granny looked surprised when she reappeared from under the counter, “Really?”

Regina shook her head, “Everyone thinks I’m— I’m…”

“A prissy girly girl?”

Regina stared at Granny for what seemed like a long time, and Granny wondered if she’d gone too far. Finally a brief smile flitted across Regina’s face, “Exactly. I did grow up working with horses, and none of you saw me and my son playing catch in the backyard during the first curse.”

“Oh?” Granny put the shot glass in front of Regina.

“Yes. Oh. It even made him laugh when I couldn’t do it at first. Or swinging him around as he yelled ‘again, again Momma’.” She sighed, then downed the shot in one swallow with no wince or grimace.

“Regina, I won’t apologize for… for trying to stop you. Kill you.”

Regina stood, “Of course not. You were protecting you and yours. I won’t apologize either.”

Granny blinked in surprise, “What?”

Regina put money on the counter, “If I said that I was sorry for what I put you through, what I put the entire Enchanted Forest through, they’d just be words. They wouldn’t make Emma no longer the Dark One, they wouldn’t let Henry’s father Neal come back, or my father, or Cora, they wouldn’t do anything but make everyone have to choose if they believe me or not. Make everyone chose whether they forgive me or not.” Regina paused, “And I can guess which side most people would come down on. So, no, I won’t apologize.”

Granny took back the shot glass, nodding, “Actions speak louder than words. Archie would say that’s healthy, most of the rest of the town would claim that it just means that you aren’t sorry.”

Laughter came from Will Scarlet and a young lady that Regina only barely recognized in the corner booth, “Yes, well, for what the words are worth. I am sorry Granny.”

oOOOOo

Emma was about a block from Granny’s when she saw Regina leaving. The dark haired woman looked as though she was on a mission and so Emma faded into the shadows.

Regina made her way across town on foot, Emma following her and grumbling under her breath, “Why won’t you just poof wherever the fuck you’re going woman.” They’d had fun the previous night, they’d used their magic, and drank, and had sex, and for the first time since Emma had raised the damn dagger towards the black swirling tendrils of darkness she’d felt normal. So normal that she hadn’t gone for the dagger when she’d had the chance. She was going to rectify that and get back —her— dagger once and for all. That is once Regina got to wherever she was going in the dead of the night.

Regina went into the hospital and followed her in. It was mostly empty, but Regina snuck by the nurse at the nurse’s station. “Guess you don’t want to be seen either, huh?” Regina continued on, and eventually she arrived in the dungeon-like place which she’d kept hidden for all those years.

Emma stopped just short of the doorway and went still, listening.

oOOOOo

“You came.” Zelena sounded surprised.

“I did. Don’t make me regret it.”

Zelena was silent for a moment, “I probably will. Make you regret it.”

Regina waved a hand and Zelena’s restraints disappeared. “I’m not going to give you any pep talks about how I did it, because, I did what I did because of my son and…”

Zelena stood, putting her hands behind her back and stretching. “…Emma.”

“What?”

Zelena rolled her eyes. “Yes, right, your son, you did it all for your son. We’ll go with that for now. So. You’ve found a Unicorn?”

Regina held out a hand, “I did. Shall we go to it?”

Zelena took Regina’s hand, “We shall.”

Emma frowned as Regina and Zelena disappeared in a poof of purple smoke, “A Unicorn, in Storybrooke?”

oOOOOo

Ruby stepped into the library and glanced around. It looked worse than the last time she’d been in it. Like a hurricane had taken the destruction from a micro-burst and tossed it all around again. Books everywhere, newspapers on top of them, and from what Ruby could see, Granny’s takeout bags stuffed very tightly into the trash bin. “Hey, anybody under this chaos?”

A voice came from behind the Circulation desk, “Yeah, yeah, if you’re looking for my Mom, for Mal, she’s getting us supper.”

“Considering that I just came from closing up Granny’s I’m going to say that she’s abandoning the Granny’s diet?” Ruby poked her head around the desk. Somehow the area behind the desk was even more chaotic than in front of it, “You’ve destroyed all the computers in the library?”

“Ah—” Lily looked up, “The library’s and also one from the Sheriff Station.”

Ruby stared at Lily for a second, then chuckled, “I doubt David will notice. Regina would have— if she wasn’t preoccupied.” Ruby knelt next to Lily, “What are you doing with all your scavenged parts?”

“Trying to put together a computer that has enough RAM to run a halfway decent browser at a snail’s pace.”

“Ah… right. The Storybrooke Conundrum.”

Lily paused and rubbed at her neck, “It has a name?”

Ruby sat on the floor next to Lily with a laugh, “Nah, I just made it up. But, it’s how here in town there seems to be this weird combo of nineteen eighties tech with a bit of modern or modern-ish stuff thrown in.”

Lily sighed and rolled her right shoulder, “You guys were running Windows 95 on the Sheriff’s computer, and I think 3.1 on one of the computers in here. Three… point… one… you do know that Ten is out right? I mean if you download it you loose control of what gets downloaded from then on, and Microsoft owns you, but— it is pretty.”

Ruby stood for a moment, moving from in front of Lily to behind her. She put her hands on Lily’s back, “Ten? 95? 3.1?”

Lily tried to turn to look back, but Ruby didn’t let her, slowly kneading at the muscles connecting her neck to her shoulders, “They are the different numbering systems that Microsoft has used for their Windows operating systems. Well, not all of them. There’s also the two they tried using totally different names for, Vista and Millennium.” Lily shook her head, “And of course XP. I’m actually surprised that I didn’t find that here.”

“More naming conventions?”

Lily nodded, then a sigh of pure contentedness escaped her lips, “What?”

Ruby chuckled, “When was the last time you turned?”

Lily turned, not letting Ruby stop her, “What are you talking about?”

Ruby moved back a little, her hands dropping to her lap, “When was the last time you turned into a dragon? Yeah, a lot of it is probably stress from whatever you’re doing here with Mal, but I’ve found that if you don’t turn every once in a while, it gets all…” Ruby shook her head, “It’s hard to explain.”

Lily stared down at the RAM in her hands, “The last time I changed, it was not fun. I’m not sure that I want to ever do it again.”

Ruby stood and held her hand out, “It’s practically tomorrow. C’mon, let’s go play.”

“Play?”

Ruby wiggled her fingers, “Yep. I’m going to teach you that being a dragon doesn’t mean that you have to burn, burn, burn… oh, hey, if you haven’t changed in eight months that means that you weren’t the one who burned down all the houses?”

Lily gripped Ruby’s hand and was pulled up. “I thought that it was Em who did that?”

Ruby shrugged, “Maybe, but, ten… that’s a lot for one person.” She started to take off her clothes, “Race you to the edge of town…”

Lily looked away, “That isn’t fair, I can’t change in here.”

Ruby laughed, naked, and stretched her arms above her head, “Better get going then.”

oOOOOo

Zelena looked up as there was the howl of a wolf and the roar of something else. “That was close.”

“One crisis at a time.”

“Sister, you look like hell.”

Regina glanced from one side to another, then crouched near the ground, somehow not getting any dirt on her pants. “I’m in hell, so that makes sense. Now, be silent or we’ll scare her off.”

“Her?”

Regina glanced over at her sister, “Do you really think that a male Unicorn would let prospective mothers touch his horn?”

A single laugh exploded from Zelena’s mouth and she put a hand over it, mumbling, “Sorry.” She shook her head, taking a couple of breaths, “That was extraordinarily dirty, sister dear.”

Regina rolled her eyes, put a finger to her lips, and then pointed ahead of them. In the clearing stood a pure white unicorn munching on a patch of clover. They both slowly approached the unicorn. Zelena stopped right next to its head and spoke softly to it, “Alright, I know I’m a villain, but, I just need to know—” She glanced over at Regina who stood by the unicorn’s body. “—will all this… will he be, or get to be my baby?”

She touched the horn and went totally still. Regina glanced around, making sure that whatever was making all the ruckus before didn’t come swooping out of the forest at them. A gust of wind seemed to spring from nowhere and she braced herself against the unicorn’s side.

oOOOOo

_Regina stumbled forward, she was no longer in the Storybrooke forest, and there was no unicorn standing in front of her anymore either. “Oh damnit— it’s supposed to be the horn, the HORN.”_

_A low voice spoke, “Talking to yourself again Mom?”_

_Regina whirled and her heart skipped a beat. “Henry?”_

_The Henry that stood in front of Regina wasn’t her teenage son. He had to be at least twenty one, his hair cut shorter than she’d ever seen it, and a sword in his hand. “Well, it ain’t JD.”_

_“Isn’t… JD?”_

_Henry frowned and sheathed the sword, taking a step towards his mother and putting a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, are you okay? JD. Jacob David Swan-Mills, my brother. Your son.”_

oOOOOo

“Feel better?”

“We’re naked—” They were, and were lying on their backs in a circle of trees.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Naked, in the forest, in the middle of the night.”

Ruby laughed, “I find that’s the best time to be naked in the forest. During the day small children and their minders can stumble onto you, or into you.”

Lily smiled up at the stars, “I take it that you speak from experience?”

Ruby made a face, “I thought Robin was going to kill me.”

Lily glanced over. She couldn’t see much of Ruby because the darkness was so complete. But she could see the twinkle of laughter in the werewolf’s eyes. “Roland saw you?”

“Roland and Little John, yeah. John was good about it, Robin… not so much.”

Lily sat up, crossing her legs under her. “You don’t like him very much. Why not?”

Ruby shrugged. “Just a feeling.”

Lily turned so that she faced Ruby, “Hey, you’re talking to a fellow… uh… were-animal?”

“Don’t like him. And, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but, I don’t like him for Regina.” Ruby shook her head, “I have no idea when I suddenly started caring what the hell Regina does though.”

Lily was silent for a moment, deciding whether or not to tell Ruby what she and Maleficent had found. Finally she spoke, “We may have found Merlin. Or, we can, if I can get the computer to work and he’s not a luddite or something.”

Ruby stood and held out a hand, “Well, then we should get on that.”

Lily took a hold of Ruby’s hand but didn’t let herself be pulled up, “We could, or… we could wait until tomorrow morning.” She gave a tug and Ruby tumbled onto her, their faces ending up mere inches apart. Lily smiled, “I mean, the world won’t change in one night right?”

oOOOOo

_“None of this makes sense.”_

_They were on one of Storybrooke’s beaches. And there were people, a lot of people, it almost looked like a the whole of the town was there. “Everyone’s older.”_

_Henry smiled, “That’s what happens Mom. Time goes forward, we get older.”_

_Before Regina could ask another question two boys, twins, who looked about eight or so ran up, “Mom, Mom… you’re here.” They crashed into her legs at the same time, “Can we eat now, can we, can we?”_

_Regina opened her mouth, then closed it. Henry hid smirk, “Yo bros, I think you meant, may you eat, right guys?”_

_They both nodded like bobble-head dolls. Regina nodded as well, “Ah, yes, yes you may.”_

_Henry put an arm around Regina, “So, you’re acting all weird. Is it a forgetting spell, or something worse?”_

_“One of them is Jacob, the other…”_

_“Wil. Wilhelm.”_

_Regina pinned Henry with a look, “I named my sons after the Brother’s Grimm?”_

_“Actually I did Regina, you made me promise that we’d call him Wil though.” Arms encircled Regina and lips kissed her neck._

_Regina went still for a second, then slowly turned in the arms that held her. “Emma?”_

_“If you count Henry, and Roland, we have seven kids. I gave birth to JD, Wil, and Mandy. And we adopted Davey and Etta. You know all this Regina, are you okay?”_

_Regina stepped out of Emma’s arms, “This— this doesn’t make sense. You, and I, and I didn’t touch the unicorn’s horn. I touched its body.”_

_“Maybe this isn’t your future. Instead this is what you want your future to be. Perhaps the unicorn is just keeping you busy. Or your future is too dark and you’re going to die, or…” Emma grabbed Regina around the waist and pulled her closer. She put her lips next to Regina’s ear, “perhaps this is your future. You’re surrounded by family, and loved, and you get your happy ending and more.”_

_“More?”_

_“Me.” Regina frowned as Emma continued, “I’ll always be there for you— no matter who I am or who you are. I—”_

oOOOOo

Regina gasped, stumbling backwards. She quickly looked over at Zelena. Her sister still seemed in the thrall of the unicorn. Regina leaned against a tree trunk and closed her eyes.

She didn’t have too long to collect herself before Zelena blinked and stepped back from the unicorn. “Oh.”

Regina looked over. “Did you get your vision?”

“I—” Zelena put a hand to her belly, “Regina, he’s…” She trailed off again and was still except for her hand caressing her baby bump. Finally she turned to her sister. “I know we’re sisters, but I don’t know if I can trust you Regina.”

Regina stared at Zelena for a long time. “Let’s go.”

Zelena winced, “I don’t know if…”

“Home. Neither of us trusts the other. I’m the…” she rolled her eyes, “…good guy right? That means that I have to hold out my hand first. Then it becomes your choice. Do you cut it off, or take it.”

“Your house? With Robin in it?”

Regina shook her head, “Yes. As well as my son and Roland. Will you behave under my roof?”

Zelena studied her sister for a second before nodding. “I will…” she paused, a sly smile coming to her lips. “What about in the backyard.”

Regina ignored the facetious question and turned her back on her sister. Leading the way out of the forest.

Everything around the unicorn went still for a bit, and then there was a rustling in the bushes and Emma appeared. The unicorn didn’t move. Emma glanced where Regina and Zelena were almost out of view, then looked back at the small white horse with the crazy horn on its head. “Touch a horn, get your future.” She rolled her eyes and started to turn away. As soon as Emma was no longer looking at the unicorn both of its back hooves shot out, hitting her in the side, and throwing her into a tree.

She hit it with a thump and everything went black.


	5. Chapter 5

“We should go back.”

“I know.”

“We really should. My Mom… Mal will be wondering where I am.”

Ruby traced a scar that ran for a few inches along Lily’s ribcage. “I know. I should probably be doing something more important too, but…”

Lily finished Ruby’s thought, “…the last eight months have been one fight after another. And even just a little bit of…”

Ruby brought Lily’s palm to her lips and kissed it, “…happiness is worth not finding out where Merlin is until tomorrow morning.”

Lily smiled and started to speak, but there was a bright flash of white light, and the smile turned to a frown, “Or not…”

“We could ignore it. Flashes of light are never good in Storybrooke.”

Lily stood and held her hand out to Ruby, “C’mon. You should be teaching me this ‘good guy’ thing not feeding my evil tendencies.”

Ruby let herself be pulled up, “Oh, is that what I was doing, teaching you to be good?”

oOOOOo

“You know, sister, it wouldn’t have taken as long if we’d just magicked our way here.”

Regina shook her head, “No magic and pregnancy except in an emergency, it’s bad enough I used it to get us out of your cell.” She opened the back door and entered, pointing towards the front of the house, “The bathroom is on the…” Regina came to a full stop, Zelena bumping into her back as they entered the kitchen. “Mal, why the hell are you in my kitchen… cooking?”

“Oh, I don’t know, you let blondie kill me. The least you can do is let me make me and my daughter some hot supper.”

Regina glanced out the window, “It will be more like breakfast.”

Maleficent ignored Regina and looked over her shoulder, “You let the green one out?”

Zelena bristled, “She’s let you run free too, dragon.”

Regina took Zelena by the shoulders and steered her out the doorway, “Upstairs. The baby needs its sleep.”

Zelena started walking towards the stair, but paused, and turned back just a bit, “He… it’s going to be a boy.”

Regina nodded and Zelena continued on her way. Maleficent paused what she was stirring, her eyes going between the doorway and Regina. “What is it? You have that look on your face. What do you know about her child, Regina?”

Regina shook her head, “Doesn’t matter.”

Maleficent pointed her spoon at Regina, “You have to let her be the child’s mother Regina. I know that you and Robin--”

Regina cut her friend off, “He’s cheating.”

Maleficent blinked, “Excuse me? Robin Hood, the good guy above all good guys… Steals from the rich to give to the poor and all that rigmarole? Who’s the other woman? Zelena?”

Regina gave Maleficent a look, “Do you truly believe that I would let her into my house if that was the case?”

Maleficent went back to her sauce, “I know nothing of you, Regina.” She glanced at Regina, looking her up and down. “You’ve changed, a lot.”

“So have you, Mal. It’s not Zelena.”

Maleficent shrugged, then a wisp of a smile came to her lips, “Lily, she actually likes me, doesn’t know what the hell to call me,” she chuckled, “but I think she might even love me. I never thought…”

Regina interrupted Maleficent, “…that having a child would change you so much. Yes, I know the feeling, my friend. That and finding—”

The back door exploded open and a naked Lily came through it, a fully clothed Emma in her arms, and a naked Ruby on her heels. “Regina— Mom— Emma won’t wake up, no matter what we do.”

Both Maleficent and Regina spoke at the same time, Regina giving an order, “Take her into the living room.”

And Maleficent pointing out the obvious, “That’s not good.”

Their eyes met, then went back to Emma and the naked women. Regina spoke alone, “Living room. Then find clothes before…”

They were too late. Regina heard the pounding of two sets of feet down the stairs. Henry turned the corner first and stumbled to a halt. “Whoa…” He quickly turned and put a hand over Roland’s eyes. “Hey bud, let’s go, ah…”

Regina helped him with a location, “To my study. Did you see Zelena or Robin on your race down the stairs.”

Henry turned his head in surprise, then turned it back again, “Robin, no. And Zelena’s here, really?”

“We’ll talk about that later. Get Roland settled in the study.”

“Games on the XBox?”

Regina glanced at a clock and sighed, “Sure. I don’t think any of us will be going to sleep tonight. Get him settled and then bring me the dark tanned bag that’s nestled between the bottom of the standalone book case and the wall.” 

Henry nodded, “Will everyone be…”

She shot a look at Lily, “Yes, everyone will be clothed. Lily, put Emma in the living room before you drop her.” Lily nodded followed after Henry and Roland. “Ruby, find the two of you some clothes.”

Ruby thought for a half a second, then nodded, “’Kay, be right back.” She turned into a wolf right there in the kitchen and bounded out of the destroyed door.

“Mal, could you…”

Maleficent put a hand to her chest, “Oh, you’re asking me?”

Regina sighed, “Just fix the damn door, Maleficent,” and stalked out of the kitchen.

oOOOOo

“David, David, wake up. It’s too quiet. David.”

“Mmup, Mmmup… what’s going on? D’I need m’sword?”

Snow rolled out of bed, “I’m going to check on Neal.”

“M’kay.” David rolled over as Snow left the room. He stayed that way until he heard Snow’s scream.

There was no tiredness in his movement or his thinking as he dove off the bed, grabbed the sword from where he kept it, and sprinted down the hall in only his boxers. He brandished the sword as he entered his son’s bedroom, “Snow, are you okay? I will ki—”

“He’s gone. Neal’s gone.” 

The sword clattered to the floor, forgotten. “What?” He came into the room and opened all the drawers and the closet. “Where could he have gotten? Neal! NEAL. I’ll take the downstairs, you check up here, okay?” He gave Snow a peck on the lips. “We’ll find him, Snow. He can’t walk. He couldn’t have gotten far.”

Snow watched as David left the room at a jog. She put a hand against her heart. “I—” She took out her phone and went to the fourth number on her favorites list.

oOOOOo

Ruby and Lily appeared in the living room again, both fully clothed. Regina glanced up, “Did you two change on my front porch?”

Ruby shrugged, “You have some cover, the sun’s not quite up, oh, and it’s nothing that the town didn’t see when we made our mad dash from the forest in our birthday suits. Is she going to be okay? She looks soo... pale”

Ruby was right, Emma didn’t just look white, her skin was so pale that it was bordering on translucent.

Regina put a hand on Emma’s forehead, “I don’t know.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Ruby. I don’t know.” Regina’s phone rang and bounced across the coffee table. She ignored it.

Henry came in carrying Regina’s satchel under his arm, “Roland’s playing and the door’s open so you can hear him too. Mom, is this what you wanted?”

Regina nodded, placed it next to her, and opened it. “Thank you Henry.” She took out a pinch of something and brought it to Emma’s lips.

Ruby caught Regina’s wrist before she put the pinch of herbs on Emma’s tongue, “What are you doing?”

Regina looked up at Ruby, “Making sure that I don’t save her only to find out that the fever destroyed her brain. With how hot she’s burning, if she weren’t the Dark One she’d be dead. And I don’t know if her brain is magically protected the same way as her body. Are those enough explanations for you, Ruby, or would you like more?”

Ruby took her hand away and Regina put the herbs on Emma’s tongue and closed the still-unconscious woman’s mouth.

The phone on the coffee table rang again. Ruby gestured towards it, “Twice now, should I—”

Regina glanced at it, “Yes, yes…”

Ruby answered, “Regina’s old assed phone—” Ruby pulled the phone away from her ear as yelling came out from its tiny speaker. Ruby held it towards Regina, “I think it’s Snow, and I definitely know she wants to speak to you.”

Regina took the phone and listened, “Okay. Make sure he’s not in the apartment—” Regina closed her eyes.

Ruby frowned, “Regina, what’s…”

Regina put up a finger, “I’m not saying you’re an idiot, Snow, but sometimes being a mother can give you tunnel vision. Make absolutely sure he’s not in the apartment. No, no, we’ll find him Snow.”

Regina hung up and put the phone back on the table, “Mal— go help Snow find Neal.”

Ruby put a hand to her heart, “Neal is missing. What? How?”

“You’re crazy.”

Both women ignored Ruby’s questions. Regina met Maleficent’s gaze and held it. “Please.”

Maleficent looked at Emma, then back to Regina, “If she asks, what do I tell Snow about her daughter?”

Regina shook her head, “She won’t ask. Go.”

Ruby gave Lily’s arm a squeeze, “I’m going with Mal. Add my nose to the search too.”

Lily was still for a moment, then leaned forward and kissed Ruby. “Be safe.”

Ruby gave a quick nod and left the room and house at a jog. Maleficent followed at a slightly slower pace.

Henry and Lily stayed silent as Regina worked on Emma. Going between the bag and the blonde. It was Henry who finally broke the silence. “Mom?”

Regina sat back on her heels and pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. “I honestly don’t know if she’s going to be okay Henry. I wish—”

Henry went to Regina and helped her stand. “It’s okay Mom. I trust you. Should I—” He looked over at Lily, “Lily and I will go help Grandma and everyone look for Neal too.”

Regina rubbed at her right eye, “No, no. Stay here with Emma. I’ll go find him.” She glanced at Lily, “Will you stay here with he and Roland?”

Lily pointed at herself, “You’re asking me? I mean, you were ordering everyone else…” Regina narrowed her eyes at Lily. She raised her hands in front of her, “Right. I’ll stay here.” She paused, “Good luck finding the kid.”

Regina was still for a minute, as if gathering her strength. Then she collected her phone from the coffee table and kissed Henry’s cheek. “Call me if anything changes, good or bad.”

Henry nodded quickly, and with a twist of her wrist, Regina gathered her coat and disappeared in a puff of purple smoke.

oOOOOo

“Snow. I’m not—” Maleficent took a deep breath. “Inside, am I chortling with glee that maybe now you know an ounce of what I feel? Not choosing to give up a baby, but having one ripped from you? Yes. Inside, I am. And yet, Regina asked me, literally using the word please, to come and help you find your boy. I’m telling you that he’s not here. He’s not anywhere in town.”

Snow poked her finger into Maleficent’s chest. “You’re lying.” Snow had calmed down just a bit, and instead of panic there was a steely glint in her eyes. “I know you’re lying. What did you do to him? Where is he?”

Regina entered the nursery, studying the floor with a frown on her face, “She’s telling the truth. She couldn’t have stolen him because she was in my kitchen cooking supper, well, at that point it was breakfast.” Without looking up she shook her head, “Don’t even go there, David. She was making a meal for her daughter, not for me.”

Snow stepped into Regina’s personal space, making Regina look up from the floor, “Then you, or your sister.”

“No. I know that I didn’t do it, and my sister still has her magic nullifier bracelet on.”

Snow put a hand to her mouth, “Emma?”

Regina shook her head and glanced at David. He took a step towards his wife, “It couldn’t have been her either.”

“How do you know?”

Maleficent crossed her arms over her chest, ready for the show. “Yes, tell us how you know it wasn’t the Dark One.”

Regina shot her a death glare before answering, “Because her condition has changed. She’s… she’s okay for now, but, she has a very bad fever and she hasn’t awoken since Lily and Ruby found her in the woods.”

Snow stood still as David put an arm around Snow’s shoulders. “I— I didn’t know—” She looked totally lost, “What, what am I supposed to do now? Should I keep looking for Neal, or… or be with Emma?”

“Henry and Lily are with her right now. And she’s not dying, Snow.” Regina waited until Snow met her gaze, “I give you my word. Whatever it takes.”

oOOOOo

A wolf appeared in the doorway to Nyx’s shop and she jumped just a little bit. It quickly turned from wolf to naked human Ruby. “Nyx. Have you seen Neal, Little Neal, Snow’s kid?”

“I know who Neal is, Ruby. Isn’t he a child?” Ruby nodded, “I haven’t seen him.”

Ruby studied Nyx, “Did you take him?”

Nyx frowned, “I’m going to pretend you didn’t ask me that, wolf. But, for the record, no, I didn’t.”

Ruby sniffed the air, then nodded. “’Kay. Thanks, Nyx.”

After Ruby had changed back into a wolf and run off, Nyx sighed, “But now I have to go figure out what the hell did happen to him.” She took off her protective apron and rolled her neck, “I’m getting too old for this.” She glanced at the doorway, and then disappeared.


	6. Chapter 6

Henry looked up as his Mom came into the living room, shedding her coat. “Mom, did you find Neal?”

Regina sat down in one of the chairs with a sigh and a shake of her head, “We didn’t.”

“Emma’s still the same.”

Regina looked up and met her son’s eyes, “I know Henry. You would have called me if something had changed.”

“Oh, right. Lily left, and, um… Robin came home too. Mom,” he looked down at Emma, then moved away from her and towards Regina. “Are you guys, I mean…” He looked down, then back up at Regina. “Are you going to kick him out, and Roland too?”

“It’s… complicated Henry.”

Henry crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at his mother. “I’m not a kid anymore Mom. Tell me the truth.”

“I think…” Regina shook her head and stared around Henry at Emma “I honestly don’t know Henry.

“Mom?”

Regina refocused on Henry, “Yes?”

He put a hand on her arm. “You’ll figure it out.” Regina didn’t say anything in response. “I can take Roland to the castle so you can have a little time with Robin, or…”

Regina pulled Henry down and kissed his forehead, “You're more son than I deserve.”

“Nah, I’m just the right amount of son for you Mom.” Henry smirked, “Although, I am the perfect child, right?”

Regina just laughed. “Go. Go, and Henry.” Henry paused and looked over his shoulder, “I love you.”

Henry smiled, “Love you too, Mom.”

It was only a few moments after Roland and Henry left the house that Robin came down the stairs and into the living room. He stared at Emma, still unconscious on the couch, for a moment, then looked to Regina. “Regina— what’s going on? That’s… Where’s Roland? Why is the Dark One asleep on the couch?”

Regina looked over at Robin, “Roland’s with Henry. They went to the castle for a bit. They’ll be back.” Regina paused, “We need to talk.”

Robin sat down in the last chair in the room. “What’s up?”

“Is it Clorinda or someone else?”

Robin went still, “Excuse me?”

Regina nodded and stared into the fire she’d started. “Right. Clorinda.”

Robin stared at Regina, silent, for a long, long minute. “I do love you Regina.”

Regina stood and walked to the mantle. She took the poker out of its holder and held it in her hand for a moment. Robin held his breath and Regina glanced over her shoulder. She rolled her eyes, “Robin. I have magic. I could incinerate you before you could blink, why would I use a fireplace poker? The fire is dying.”

Robin stood and joined her at the fireplace. He put a hand on her arm. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

Regina poked at the fire, causing it to start roaring again. “Did you know that in some stories, Clorinda, the Queen of the Shepherdesses, was your true love, not Maid Marian?”

Robin frowned, “What? What are you talking about?”

Regina waved her hand around the room causing Robin to take a step back and let go of her. “Every person in this town, every animal in this town, almost everything in this town is either from a story, or…” She glanced at Emma, who still seemed to be unconscious, “…related to someone in a story. Your stories have always been couched as historical legend, that is slightly different than my sister’s, or my own, or Snow and David’s that have always been known to be fiction. But, we are all stories.” She took a step forward and rested her hand on Robin’s arm. “It’s okay. I don’t think… I don’t deserve love. Not really. After all I’ve done…” She shook her head, “I feel lucky that my son loves me. That— that will be enough.” 

Regina closed her eyes for a moment and Robin jumped. “What did you…” He pulled his arm away and gaped at it. “You… my tattoo is gone? What did you do?”

Regina put back the poker and brushed by Robin. “Freed you from fate. Be with her. Or someone else, or…” Regina paused, “…even my sister if you love her.”

Robin grabbed Regina’s shoulder and turned her, “We’re soulmates. The fairy du…”

Regina shook her head and sat back down. “It was Pixie, and… I’ve decided that I’m not going to base my entire life on some magical dust and a tattoo.” She looked up at Robin, “I’m not angry.”

“What about Roland?”

Regina smiled sadly, “He’s wormed his way into my heart, but he’s your child, not mine.”

Robin stood still for a few minutes, then met Regina’s gaze again, “You want us to move out.”

“Yes.”

“Regina… are you sure?”

Regina nodded and looked away, “You cheated on me, Robin. Yes. Go… be a happy family with your son and your nurse, or shepherdess, or whatever she is…”

Robin looked as though he wanted to say something else, but then his eyes caught his now naked arm. He shook his head and left the living room.

oOOOOo

“Henry, is something wrong?”

Henry made a face for a moment, considering his answer. “I don’t know Rollie, maybe, but, definitely don’t worry about it. No matter what we’ll be buds, okay? Did you bring a book or something?”

Roland nodded and pulled out his favorite book. It was a big one, very green with two kids walking through what looked like dune grasses. Henry smiled, “Ah, the one I gave you. “One Morning in Maine”, so, are you going to read it to me?”

Roland laughed, “No, you read to me.” He paused, “You have to.”

Henry smirked, “I think that my Mom might be rubbing off on you, Rollie. Okay. Here goes. ‘One morning in Maine, Sal woke up…’”

Roland put a hand on the book, “Henry, can we still play even if…”

“Totally, Rollie. We’re brothers forever now, okay?”

“Promise?”

Henry made a cross over his heart, “I promise.”

Roland leaned into Henry, “Okay. Start again please.”

oOOOOo

“You’re an idiot.”

Regina looked up from the book she was reading. “Oh?”

Emma pushed herself up so that she was leaning against the arm rest of the couch, “You can take this… Clorinda, you can totally win him back. Have the family you want with Roland, and Robin, and Henry… and whatever other kids you’re going to have.”

Regina looked back down at the book, “I can’t… I just… can’t.”

Emma was so silent for so long that Regina thought the blonde had gone back to sleep or passed out again. And do she jumped when the book was removed from her hands. “I’m sorry.”

Regina stared down at their intertwined hands, “In this case, Miss Swan,” she paused, “In this case Emma, it has absolutely nothing to do with you.”

Regina nodded, “Ah— could you—” She gestured away from where Emma was still kneeling, “I would like to stand.”

“No, not yet, tell me why you’re here, why I’m here and not in the jail cell. I—” She put a hand on her head, “I touched the unicorn and something happened, and now I— everything hurts.”

Regina stared down at Emma, “Your mother would make my life even more of a hell if something happened to you.”

Emma stared at Regina for a long moment, “You’re not telling the whole truth, maybe not even to yourself, but—”

Emma started to list to the side, but Regina managed to catch her before she fell. Regina brought them both to their feet.

Emma frowned, “Your heart’s going a mile a minute, think I still have it in me to attack you magically? ‘Cause I don’t think I do.”

“It’s not that.” Regina helped Emma settle back onto the couch, “As for Robin, maybe, I don’t want to fight for him.” She paused, “It’s… good that you didn’t die Emma. Now I’m going to make you some soup.” Regina paused, then spoke again, “I think that I have some of Henry’s favorite in the freezer.”

“Wait.”

Regina turned and waited, silent. When Emma didn’t speak for awhile, Regina finally did. “What Emma?”

“I’m sorry about the other night. I— at this point I don’t know if it was me— or— or it was…”

Regina put up a hand, “This isn’t the time.” She started to turn, but stopped and turned back, “I am glad that you can still tell the difference between right and wrong.”

oOOOOo

“So, why did we leave without telling anyone? Not to mention, how are we going to get back into the town if we don’t know where it is?”

Maleficent looked out the window as Lily drove, “You can call your girlfriend.”

Lily responded so fast that she nearly spoke over the last part of her mother’s sentence, “Ruby’s not my girlfriend… well, I mean…”

Maleficent smiled to herself. “We left like this because all sorts of trouble is about to start in Storybrooke. Between whatever’s happening to Emma and Little Neal being nowhere in town… it’s better to be out of the firing line.”

Lily glanced over at Maleficent, “But we didn’t do anything.”

“That’s never stopped the town of Storybrooke from persecuting someone before. So… let’s go find Merlin and save the day while they bicker and fight.”

oOOOOo

Regina stared out the kitchen window as she waited for the soup to defrost in the microwave. A minute ago she’d heard Henry come home and talk to Emma. Roland hadn’t seemed to be with him. She sighed, and then shuddered.

A voice came from the backyard, “Whoa.”

Regina looked up. “What in the…”

Regina took a step towards the back door, then changed direction and picked up her cell phone. She dialed. “You need to get over here. Now.” She hung up and went into the back yard. “Hello?”

The man looked across the yard, then strode towards her. When he got to Regina, he picked her up and whirled her in a circle, “Mama—”

Regina stumbled backwards a step when he let her down. “You—” She looked him up and down, “You’re Neal— Little Neal.” He nodded and Regina pinched the bridge of her nose, “This isn’t going to go over well with Snow.”

Neal frowned, “My birth mother, why?”

Regina looked Neal up and down again, “You’re the second child she hasn’t gotten to raise, although,” she glanced over her shoulder, “She’s probably pregnant again, so… maybe the third time’s the charm.”

A smile came to Neal’s face, “I’m good with brothers and sisters.”

Regina frowned, “Where were you, Neal?”

“That— is a long story that I should probably tell everyone at once huh?” Regina nodded, “And I think I hear Dad coming.”

Indeed, David jogged around the corner of the house, followed by Snow. As they got nearer Snow got faster until she ran to Neal so hard that he was bowled over, landing on his back with an oof. “Ah… hi.”

Regina wasn’t surprised when both Henry and Emma appeared as well. The latter leaning on the former for support. Henry’s window looked down towards the back yard. Henry stumbled to a halt, “Whoa… you look like the guy from Guardians of the Galaxy.”

Neal ignored Henry and walked up to Emma, “You’re… you’re really here?”

“He’s right, you do bear a striking resemblance to Chris Pratt.”

Neal smirked, “Yeah, and you look like death warmed over Big Sis.”

Emma shook her head and suddenly, her legs started to give out. Regina was by her side in a step, her arm around Emma’s shoulders. Neal put an arm around her waist as well. Emma glanced from Regina to Neal, her gaze staying on him. “How the hell are you so old, Neal?”

Neal sighed and moved away from Emma, crossing his arms over his chest, “As I said, it’s a really, really long story. And I would like to get some sleep if I could.”

Snow nodded, “Yes, yes, you should…”

Neal cut Snow off, “Here— I mean—” He looked towards Regina, “If that’s okay? I can sleep on the couch. I just—” He looked down, then back up at Snow, “I’m sorry.”

Snow nodded, “No, you should stay wherever you feel most comfortable,” she looked to Regina. “We’ll be staying too.”

Even though from the tone of Snow’s words Regina knew it wasn’t a question, she responded anyway. “Of course. Henry, will you get them settled? Get everyone settled? I need a moment.”

“Mom?”

Regina kissed the side of Henry’s head, “I’m fine.” She continued in a quieter voice that only Henry and Emma could hear, “I’ll be okay, Henry.” She stepped away from Emma, letting Henry take her place supporting Emma. She watched them all go back towards the house. Snow and David never once took their eyes off of Neal, while Emma glanced over twice, still not quite believing what she was seeing. Emma was silent, but Henry, Snow, and David all talked over one another as they entered the house.

It was only when the door closed that there was blessed silence in her back yard again. She walked to her apple tree and sat on the ground under it. By some miracle even though it was the middle of the winter there wasn’t snow on the ground. She looked up. The place that Emma had cut a branch off was still there, but, around it new growth was emerging as well. She leaned her head back against the tree, pulled her coat closer around her, and closed her eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

Regina frowned as she entered her house the next morning. She tried to rub the crick that she had gotten from sleeping under her apple tree, but it wouldn’t relax.

It was barely after dawn and yet she could hear something coming from the piano in the den. She almost never used the room anymore. When Henry had been younger, it was where she’d let him scatter his toys from one end of the room to the other during the day. Then he’d gone from Tonka trucks, to comics and the book that Snow had given him, and the room had sat mostly unused.

She hoped that Roland wasn’t banging on it again. It had not been an easy conversation to have with the little boy. It hadn't helped that Robin had arrived home in the middle of her explaining to Roland that he first had to wash his hands before he could play the piano, and that banging was for drums, not piano keys. And yet Robin hadn't backed Regina's directions up right then, which meant that there'd had to be another conversation about respecting how Regina wanted others to treat her property when Roland had banged on the keys the next day too.

As she stood in the doorway she saw that it wasn’t Roland playing, though he was there. He was in Henry’s arms as they both watched Neal play a familiar tune on the piano with a light and expert touch. It was the Allegro movement of Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Regina stood perfectly still and listened as he played the most well-known movement. She knew why Henry was listening. It had been one of his favorites when she had showed him Fantasia 2000. Regina could tell that Neal loved playing. The notes flowed from his fingers, each of the crescendos and diminuendos in the music adding another layer to the story he was creating with his fingers, until he got to the climax. A smile came to his face as he let the piece come to its crashing conclusion.

The room went silent for a second, then Roland clapped and Henry smiled. “Huh, so that’s what I’d sound like if I’d kept taking lessons?”

Neal laughed, “You wish.”

“Lost Penny, Lost Penny, please?”

Neal frowned, looking from Roland to Henry, “I don’t understand.”

Henry rolled his eyes, but translated for Roland, “Ah, before— well, awhile ago when everything wasn’t falling apart Mom— my Mom— played a CD that had Rage Over a Lost Penny on it. It’s now Roland’s favorite song ever.”

“Ah—” Neal tilted his head for a moment, “I might be a little rusty, I don’t think I’ve played it since I was a little kid, but let me try.” He launched into the frenetically-paced song with Roland clapping along to the beat and cheering as if they were at a football game.

A voice came from behind Regina, “Who the hell is he?”

Regina didn’t take her eyes off of Neal, Henry and Roland, “He’s Little Neal, but...”

“…not so little anymore. When did that happen?”

“Last night.”

Zelena chuckled, “All while I was sleeping?”

Regina nodded, “Time travel. I’ll make breakfast in a moment. I just…”

Zelena cut her sister off, “…want this bit of peace before something else hits the fan. I’ll make breakfast.”

That made Regina turn her head and look at Zelena, “Really?”

Zelena smirked, “I will take much pleasure in letting Snow wonder if I’ve poisoned it all.” Regina shook her head and went back to watching Neal play. “What, you aren’t even going to extract a promise from me that I won’t poison her food.”

Regina shook her head, “Not today. Oh… and…”

“The Dark One’s on your sofa? Yeah. I got that. Is she going to burn the place down?”

“No.” Regina paused, “Maybe?”

Zelena’s smirk turned to a frown, “You don’t sound sure.”

“I’m not sure about anything right at the moment.”

oOOOOo

“Well, it’s not a cave or the basement of a library, just a regular old apartment building.”

“Mm— I didn’t have much choice where I spent the curse.”

Mal and Lily got out of Lily’s car and stared at the rundown apartment building. “Do you think he’ll help us?”

Maleficent rolled her shoulders, “I’ll make sure of it.”

oOOOOo

As soon as Roland smelled the cooking eggs in the kitchen, he lost interest in Neal playing the piano, and wiggled until Henry put him down. He zoomed by Regina, nearly making her fall. He came to a screeching halt and turned, “Sorry Ma…” He trailed off with a frown, “Sorry Gina…” And he was off again.

Regina hid a smile and turned to her son, “What’s he doing here?”

Henry shrugged, “Little John dropped him off this morning. Did you and Robin…” He paused, “…break up?”

“Yes.”

Henry looked past Regina for a moment, then back at his Mom, “I’m going to sit with Mom. She looked so… tired and… last night.”

As Henry went by Regina got in half a hug, then let him go. “Maybe stop by the kitchen and bring her some coffee.”

Henry gave a nod as he left.

Neal doodled on the piano a bit, and stopped when Regina sat down next to him on the bench. “Oh, you heard all that?”

“How long have you been playing?”

Neal shrugged, “Since I can remember, four or so? You claim that I begged you for three straight weeks. Until finally you caved and I started lessons with Ms. Vasseur. Same as you’d done for Henry. Only, I loved it.”

“When did you learn that Concerto?”

Neal looked away from Regina, “When I was fifteen.” Neal stood and walked over to the window that looked over the side yard. “Sorry— you’re just so like her.” He stood still for a second, then turned back, leaning against the window sill. “I learned it for her birthday, as a surprise since I couldn’t think of any thing to give you… her.”

Regina stood. She took a step towards Neal, then stopped. “How did you find out her birth date, young man?”

Neal shook his head, “You sound like her too. Ah, it took about as long to find her— your— birthday as it did to learn the piece. And since I didn’t give up my source to her, I’m not going to do it to you either. Then I had to get together the other instrumentalists. It was easier than I thought it would be since, apparently when the curse hit, all the characters of Peter and the Wolf turned into humans, and they can play the instruments that represented them in the piece. We actually kept everyone together after the performance too. We were the Storybrooke Symphony.”

“At fifteen. That’s impressive.”

Neal shrugged, “You— She and Dad always wanted us to give back to the community.”

Is that what you do? Conduct or play in the Symphony?”

“Yes, but it’s not what I do, do--. I’m the school music teacher and the church Organist. Esmeralda founded it, non-denominational and open to everybody from Catholics to Wiccans to Atheists.” He smiled a bit, “Some of the stuff I get to play is wild.”

Regina studied Neal for a moment, “You should be telling Snow and David this.”

Neal looked out the window, “She’s not—”

Regina interrupted Neal, “She is your mother and even though you were missing for less than a day, I think to her it felt like weeks. And then you come back and she’s lost the childhood of yet another child.” Regina paused, “She’s mostly a good person, Neal. You need to give her a chance.”

Neal looked down for a moment, “Yes Mam— Ma’am.”

“Mom…”

The yell came from the living room. Regina and Neal got to the doorway at the same time. Regina put a hand on his shoulder, “Go to the kitchen, check on your Mom and Dad. I’ll go see why Henry yelled.”

Neal paused, then nodded and went towards the kitchen while Regina entered the living room. Her nose wrinkled at the smell, but she managed to school her features before Henry looked up, “Mom…”

“Go get some breakfast, I’ll clean up.”

Henry shook his head, “No, it’s okay, I made Mom laugh, and then… I can—”

Regina put her arm across his shoulders, “It’s okay, Henry. Go, make sure that Snow and Zelena aren’t killing each other.”

Henry stared at Regina, then at Emma. “Okay. But it’s my fault, and she couldn’t help it.”

Regina pointed towards the kitchen, “Breakfast, young man.”

Henry left the living room and Emma opened her eyes, “I ruined your carpet.”

Regina held her hands out and one of the super non-electric vacuums that seemed to be on every home shopping channel appeared in it. She started cleaning the mess. “You aren’t the first one to throw up on this rug, and you probably won’t be the last.”

“Henry?” Emma studied Regina while the Mayor cleaned. “You didn’t give me that memory.”

Regina continued cleaning, “More than once. He didn’t have the hardiest of immune systems when he was a toddler.”

Regina looked up when Emma went silent. Even the blonde’s breathing slowed. Regina just barely stopped herself from jumping backwards when Emma lunged at her. Instead Regina stood still as Emma sank back into the couch. She met the eyes that had gone entirely black, “Dark One. You’re not welcome.”

A bitter laugh came from the Dark One, “You’re out of your depth, little sorceress. You think that you can defeat me because you have love for my vessel?” The Dark One laughed again, “I have had Millennia and defeated more powerful wizards and magicians than you.”

Regina straightened to her full height and took a half a step back, “If you can get up again, you can leave.”

The Dark One shuddered, but it didn’t seem like Emma’s body was responding to its commands. Regina tilted her head to one side, “You’re assuming that I’m alone in fighting you. You don’t know Emma very well. I do. She’ll fight you until her last breath and beyond.”

The Dark One stared at its dagger that rested against Regina’s hip. When Regina was awake, it was always there, and when she slept or showered it was in a very, very magically protected box.

“Arhhhhh….”

Regina barely got her arms and a spell thrown up in time. The fireball hit the magical shield and was redirected all over the room. One part lit the drapes on fire, another, the wall next to the fireplace. A third destroyed two vases, the water in them putting it out. Regina didn’t know where the other two landed, but she could tell that they’d lit something on fire too.

Roland was the first one into the room. He screamed, which got everyone else’s attention. Henry was the next one into the living room. He yelled, “Fire!” and dashed back into the kitchen, pulling Roland with him.

He was back in the blink of an eye, a pot of water in his hands. He didn’t hesitate, heaving all of the water over Regina and also managing to hit Emma too.

Regina sputtered as David, Snow, and even Zelena used more water in Regina’s wide variety of pots. While Neal used the kitchen’s fire extinguisher to put out the rest of the fires. “Henry, what?”

“Your hair Mom, the ends… you were on fire, and I…”

“Oh.” He put a hand on her shoulder and she pulled him into a hug. After a moment, she let go and he knelt down next to the couch. He put a hand on Emma’s arm. “Mom— Mom?”

Emma didn’t respond. He looked over at Regina, who leaned down and put two fingers to the blonde’s neck. She let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding when the heartbeat she felt was strong and regular.

“I think that she just passed out. Both the Dark One trying to fully take control of her body and the power the Dark One used to throw that fireball at me, it drained her. She’s okay, Henry.” Regina put a hand on his back, making comforting circles, “She’s okay.”

Henry swallowed and stood, “Are we— she’s never going to…” He cleared his throat again, “I need to—”

Regina also stood and kept her arm over his shoulders, “Would you like me to come with you?”

Henry shook his head, “No. I’ll go myself this time.”

Regina kissed the side of his head and gave him a squeeze before she let go. “Cell phone?”

“Check.”

“Keys?”

“Check.”

Mother and son, in the middle of all the chaos, shared a little smile. “Be careful.”

Henry nodded seriously, “I will.”

Zelena and Neal had gone back into the kitchen, but Snow voiced the question on her mind, “Where is he going?”

Regina glanced at the window and followed Henry’s progress until he disappeared onto the sidewalk before answering. “To visit his father’s grave.”

“Oh—”

Emma shifted on the couch and everyone’s eyes went to her. She didn’t wake up. Snow spoke again. “Regina, she can’t be here.”

Regina blew out a breath, “And where should she be? We— Henry’s her family. And without Rumpel in town, Mal mostly likely in some other state searching for Merlin, and Zelena not allowed to use magic—”

A voice came from the kitchen, “I could.”

Regina raised her voice and responded, “You will not.” She paused, “I’m the only one in town who has the smallest chance of winning if Emma loses her battle with The Dark One again.”

Snow and David looked at one another and then to their daughter. “Okay. For now. Are you going to have breakfast with us?”

Regina nodded, “Yes, I’ll be right in.” Snow and David joined everyone else in the kitchen and she could hear them talking to Neal. Regina stared down at Emma. “I’m so sorry, Emma. It should have been me. You should have let the darkness take me. You…” Regina put a hand over her eyes and cleared her throat a few times. After a moment she straightened and turned on her heel, practically marching into the kitchen. “Okay. So, who wants pancakes that aren’t burned?”

In the living room Emma opened her eyes with a frown. They were clear again, and as she looked around the partially destroyed room a sigh escaped her lips.

oOOOOo

“Ready for this?”

Lily glanced over at Maleficent. The younger woman was silent for a moment, then her eyes widened a bit, “As well as being the key to saving Emma, you think that Merlin’s my father, don’t you?”

“No— yes— it’s the only logical conclusion.”

Lily crossed her arms over her chest, “No, it’s not— and it makes no sense. I found a picture of him, he’s black.”

“So? We don’t live in the real world, but on of dragon’s and Evil Queens who cast enormous curses, and saviors who never seem to actually do the saving.”

“So you’re saying genetics don’t exist, that I’m not— that I— okay, so yeah at this point I have no idea what I am, but even if you discount his race, and your race, and everything like that. I look nothing like him in my face or ears or whatever either. Merlin’s not my father.”

“Well, it could be different because we were both in Dragon form?”

Lily winced, “That was way too much information. Forget I asked.”

Maleficent put a hand on Lily’s shoulder and squeezed, “No— we’re going to find your father— or how you were conceived. I know that maybe my word doesn’t mean a lot to you, but I give you my word. But first…”

Lily sighed, “But first…” She knocked on the door. There was no response. She tried again, and again, and a fourth time. After that knock a child poked only her head out of the apartment next door, “He’s not there.”

Maleficent turned, “When will he be back child?”

The kid narrowed her eyes at the child comment, then shrugged, “Never.”

Maleficent frowned, “Never as in…”

The kid nodded, “Yep. Gone, finito, bye-bye birdie. He was sorta cool too. Good at magic, always gave me a quarter out of my ear even though I’ve known how to do that trick by myself since forever ago.” She shrugged again. “Anyway, sorry.” She pulled her head back into the apartment and closed the door.

Lily frowned, “I don’t get it, so we’ll just keep looking for him, right?””

Maleficent shook her head, “No. The child… the girl… What she meant was…”

Understanding dawned on Lily’s face, “Oh. Merlin’s dead.”

oOOOOo

Henry walked into the house. He’d been gone for all of the morning and some of the afternoon. He closed the door behind him and walked by the living room, then turned back. “Mom?”

Emma was sitting instead of lying on the couch, “Yep. All me, myself, and I for the moment. Sorry about before. Both the puking on you and the destruction.”

Henry frowned and stuck his head into the kitchen, “Where’s everybody?”

Emma rolled her eyes, “In the backyard, planning on how to hold me, or kill me, or something.”

Henry shook his head, “Mom would never let that happen.”

Emma nodded, “You’re probably right. She wants you to have both your Moms.”

Henry cut Emma off, “No Mom, she’d do it for you.”

Emma smiled sadly, “I highly doubt that kid.”

Henry put his arms on his hips and Emma was surprised by just how much he looked like Regina when he did it. “She really loves you Mom. I know. I can tell.”

“Whatever you say Henry.”

“You’re not going to sleep down here tonight. It’s not good for you. You’re going to sleep the guest room where Grandpa and Grandma are now.”

Emma chuckled, “Unless you can convince Neal to leave, I don’t think that you’ll be able to pry them out of the room or house without a lot of C4.”

Henry took a hold of one of Emma’s arm, “C’mon. Let’s go into the kitchen and tell them. Then listen to Neal’s story too. And have lunch, I’m hungry.”

oOOOOo

Lily and Maleficent stood in Merlin’s former apartment. They’d gone for an early lunch to talk over what to do next, and then come back and broken into Merlin's apartment.

“Definitely smells like he died in here.” She put a hand over her nose. “What are we looking for?”

Maleficent shrugged, “I have no idea. Anything that could help.”

Lily sighed, “We’re not going back to Storybrooke soon are we?”

Maleficent rolled up her sleeves, “Not if we want to salvage something out of this trip.”


	8. Chapter 8

“Neal.”

Neal put down the crust of his sandwich and met his father’s eyes. They were all around the kitchen island eating lunch, while bugging Neal for the story of where he’d been for the past twenty eight years or so, “I know, Dad, I know. My story. I have to tell it. It could all be connected… I’ve been through this before, you know. Saving the world, or trying to.”

Snow put her hand on top of Neal’s, “Please Neal.”

Neal glanced at Emma, then Regina. Finally he nodded. “I can’t promise that anyone here’s going to like it.”

Henry spoke up around a bite of his sandwich. “Wowon’s mott here.”

Regina shot him a look and translated, “I think that Henry was trying to say that since Roland’s back with Robin we’re all adults here… or almost adults who apparently haven’t learned not to talk with their mouths full.”

Henry swallowed, “Sorry.”

Neal blew out a breath, “Right. So… It actually all started before me. I was just an epilogue in the story. It started when Henry…” Neal glanced over, “Alternate Henry convinced our Mom— convinced his Mom, Alternate Regina—” He paused, “Yeah, I’m gonna go with Alt. Anyway, he convinced Alt Regina to save Alt Emma and Alternate Snow instead of letting them die against the energy over the well.”

oOOOOo

_Henry tried to run past Regina, towards the well, but Regina caught him as he screamed, “You can’t!” She lifted him as he struggled and struggled, “Stop it. You can’t! You’re gonna kill them. Please. No. They’re going to make it through. We have to turn it off. You’re gonna kill them.”_

_Henry escaped Regina’s arms and rushed to the well, “Henry.” Regina pulled him back a moment later. And turned him physically around, kneeling in front of him so that they were on the same level. “What are you doing?”_

_“Emma and Mary Margaret are going to come through.” He no longer screamed, instead he lowered his voice, collecting himself just a bit. “I know it. You said you wanted to change. To be better.”_

_Regina’s whole face was contorted in anguish. Not physical, but mental. Her two sides doing battle in the middle of the forest by a magically sealed well. Regina didn’t know what to do._

_“This is how.” As Regina’s inner turmoil increased Henry’s seemed to lessen. “You want me to have faith in you. Have faith in me.”_

_Mother and son stared at one another for a long, long moment. Then Regina slowly stood, turned, and approached the well._

_Rumpelstiltskin tried to stop her, calling out her name, “Regina.”_

_But she didn’t listen. She stood over the well and raised her hands above the swirling green energy. It was going to hurt, it was going to hurt a lot. The energy flowed into her, pushing her head back. She closed her eyes against the pain. Her arms were forced to her sides, the green energy almost looking like it was puppeting her. And then with a burst of white light she was thrown to the side, landing hard against a tree._

_No one moved. And nothing appeared from the well._

_Henry had waited long enough, “No—” he ran towards the well._

_“I’m sorry Henry. I’m sorry.”_

_There was one hand on the side of the well, then another, and someone pushed themselves up and over the lip of the well. It wasn’t Emma or Mary Margaret. Henry frowned, “Who… who are you? Where’s…” He rushed towards the well, “Emma— Emma— Mom.”_

_Regina stood, and only barely caught Henry before he dove head first into the well. “Henry— Henry. HENRY DANIEL MILLS.” That finally stopped his struggling and just in time. Regina had been sapped to begin with and holding onto a thrashing kid had entirely drained her. “Please Henry.”_

_“We have to get them back— we have to Mom— we have to.”_

_Regina gave a slight nod, “I know— but I—”_

_Mulan cleared her throat, “I am Mulan. You are Henry?”_

_The forest clearing went perfectly silent, “I—” his voice broke, “I am.”_

_Mulan approached Henry, “I’m sorry Henry. But your mother,” She glanced at Regina, “—Emma, and Snow White were both killed. I only barely escaped. They were killed by…”_

_Regina sat down hard on the step by the well, “My mother Cora.” She stared at the ground._

_Henry wasn’t convinced, “No— Emma’s the savior. Everybody else dies, she— not my Mom— no.”_

_“Henry…” Regina held out a hand._

_Henry whirled on Regina, pushing her arm away so hard that Regina fell the rest of the way to the ground. “No-no, it’s not fair— You should be dead, not her. Not Emma.” He sprinted towards the deep forest. “It’s NOT FAIR.”_

_Regina tried to get up, but couldn’t. “Ruby?”_

_Ruby stared at Regina for a moment her jaw working, then nodded, “On it—” And jogged after him._

_Rumpelstiltskin was nowhere to be seen either. He’d slipped out during the chaos. Regina slowly let out a breath and stared up at the sky. After a moment a throat cleared and Regina looked over, “You are Regina?” Regina nodded and Mulan held out a hand. “I need your help.”_

_Regina took the hand and Mulan helped her to her feet. “What happened to them…” As Mulan started to answer Regina shook her head, “No, never mind, tell us when my son is there. I don’t think he’ll believe it if I tell him. Oh damn. David.” She shook her head, “He’s still in the sleeping curse, and if Mary Margaret and Emma are dead he has no true loves left to wake him up.” Regina looked up and fully took in Mulan, “What do you need?”_

_“A way back Your Majesty.” Mulan looked down into the bag, “I— Aurora, the Princess Aurora, I have her heart.”_

_Regina glanced down at the bag, “In there?”_

_“Cora had stolen it, now I have it, and…”_

_Regina put up a hand, “Don’t move.”_

_Mulan started to move and Regina waved a hand over her, freezing her in place. “Does no one listen to me anymore? There is something caught in the folds of the bag.” She glanced around, then waved her hand in a circle and one of the green leaves on the ground turned into a very small bag. She knocked a dark powdery substance into the leaf bag, and with a pinch of magic, sealed the leaf at the top. She put it in her pocket, then unfroze Mulan. “So basically, you want my help to go find the bane of Maleficent’s existence and save her?”_

_Mulan slowly nodded, “You know this Maleficent?”_

_Regina sighed, “Once upon a time we were good friends, yes… right now we need to get to Gold’s shop.” Mulan glanced back towards where Ruby had gone, “Or you can stay here. But, if you want my help. First I have to fix…” Regina shook her head, “…Charming.”_

_Mulan stood still for one more moment, then gestured with one hand, “Lead the way Your Majesty.”_

_oOOOOo_

_“Are you gonna bite me?”_

_Ruby rolled her eyes as she sat down next to Henry on the log. “Please— you are so easy to track I didn’t even have to consider wolfing out.”_

_“That’s… good?”_

_Ruby slapped Henry on the back, “Hey. It’s not over. So this Mulan said that your Mom and Grandmom were dead. That doesn’t mean that they are. Hey, we’ve seen weirder things happen, right?” Ruby paused, “We should hear her out. See what we can do. And maybe your Mom… Regina… maybe she’ll help you find them, save them.”_

_Henry looked up at Ruby, “She did try and save them at the well. If they’d… they would have been okay if they’d… if they were…”_

_Ruby put an arm around Henry’s shoulders. “Hey, let’s go back to Gold’s shop. I bet that’s where Regina will take Mulan.”_

_Henry sucked in a slow breath, “Oh no… David.”_

_Ruby sighed and stood, bringing Henry with her. “Yeah… David.”_

_oOOOOo_

_Belle looked up as Ruby and Henry entered Gold’s shop. “Ruby, thank god. Regina just… where are Emma and Mary Margaret? And why is Mulan here instead?”_

_Ruby glanced over at Regina who was hunched over the pipettes and beakers again, “They’re… they’re dead. And…” She looked over at Mulan, “Mulan— I assume you’re from the Enchanted Forest, but I don’t actually know who you are.”_

_Henry rolled his eyes, “You’ve have never watched the movie huh?” He walked to Mulan, “I’m— I’m sorry Mulan, for how I acted, I’m just.. My Mom and Mary Margaret, and…” He stopped talking as Regina whirled and threw a small mini beaker against the wall. It exploded into pieces._

_Henry rushed over to Regina, “Mom, Mom, what are you doing?”_

_Regina put a hand to her forehead, “I’m… David, he’s dying Henry. I’m trying to make a potion to fix him. To get him to wake up.”_

_Henry frowned, “I thought… only true love’s kiss could cure the sleeping curse?”_

_Regina nodded slowly, “I think you’re right. No matter what I do though, I can’t seem to make this potion work. It just… doesn’t work. And I only have the smallest bit left of…” She glanced over at Henry. “…of Snow or Emma’s heart.”_

_Henry knelt down next to the destroyed mini beakers. After a moment he stood again, “Mom. All these are water, or, whatever? Does it have to be liquid?”_

_Regina stared over at Henry for a long moment, then gripped his head, kissing him on the forehead, “You’re a genius, Henry.”_

_Henry frowned as Regina went back to making her magic. He watched her for a moment, then shook his head and went to where Mulan stood. “Mulan… would you… could you tell me how my Mom, and… how it happened?”_

_Mulan glanced over at Regina, who nodded her assent. “We were at Lake Nostros, or what was left of it. Cora had made a small pool and dropped the ashes of the wardrobe into it. The portal had been opened. We arrived, your mother, Snow White, and I. Cora had Captain Hook with her. We all fought, I had just gotten possession of the bag with Aurora’s heart in it when it happened. Snow was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She should have gone one way, but went the other. In another world… perhaps she survived. But… Cora had Snow’s heart in her hand. Emma rushed over, but before she could get there, Hook stabbed her through the back. I went for Cora, but I wasn’t as close as I could have been, and as I was running towards her she said something to Snow, then crushed her heart to dust just as I got there. I stabbed Cora through the heart.” Mulan paused, “That’s where… I pulled my sword out and that’s where I left her, dead on the ground and went through the portal.”_

_Regina shook her head, “She’s not dead.”_

_Mulan frowned, “Excuse me?”_

_Regina nodded, “She doesn’t carry her heart in her chest. ‘Don’t take your heart to a fight’. Maybe you wounded her since I feel magic coming off that sword, but, you didn’t kill her.” Regina held up what looked like a petri dish with some goo on it. “Before I try this. I want… Henry, will you kiss David on the forehead.”_

_Henry didn’t pause, and for once did what his mother told him. He leaned down and kissed David’s forehead. Everyone in the shop held their breaths, but nothing happened. They waited for another minute, still nothing. Regina sighed and looked down at the dish. “This is… I guess it’s a lip balm that’s made out of a lot of things, but most importantly, I believe that it has some of the ashes of Snow’s heart in it. I think that, maybe… if someone kisses him with this on it he will wake up.”_

_Ruby spoke up, “I’ll do it.”_

_Regina shook her head, “No Ruby. I have no idea what it will do to the person who wears it, and Henry needs to have someone to watch over him if something goes wrong. Also, unfortunately it needs body heat to work.”_

_Henry spoke, “Then I will.”_

_“Absolutely not young man, you most definitely will not. I— I’m the one who put him under, I’m the one the wraith was going after. I’ll do it.”_

_“It won’t work, dearie.”_

_Regina speared Rumpelstiltskin, who’d just entered, with a look. “Yes. It will.”_

_“You don’t know light magic. And to save someone requires the lightest of magic.”_

_Regina took a step towards Rumpelstiltskin, then shook her head. “You’re wrong.” With one move she smeared the goo on her lips and moved until she stood over David. She lowered herself down and after closing her eyes for a moment, she opened them and kissed David._

_It was a chaste kiss as kisses go, lasting only a few seconds. After that Regina stood, turned her back on David and the rest of them and left the shop._

_As the door was closing, she heard a gasp from David. Regina put a hand to her heart but didn’t stop walking._


	9. Chapter 9

“You… you created a true love’s kiss and saved my husband?”

Regina shook her head, “I didn’t. She did.”

Neal nodded, “And she used pure light magic to do it. Everyone was…”

Emma interrupted her brother, “Like when you defeated Zelena.”

Zelena harumphed, “Sitting right here.”

Neal’s gaze went between Zelena and Emma, then to Regina, “Here you didn’t use light magic until then? Hmm… I guess things are really, really different here.” He shook his head, “Ah, there’s more though. Because Alt Mulan still wanted to save her Aurora, and I guess Alt Henry, Regina, and Dad all wondered if maybe they’d have a chance to save Snow and Emma too. Henry tried and tried to convince Mom… convince Regina that he should be allowed to go, but she wouldn’t let him.”

“Figures.”

Neal half-hid his smile, “Ah, yeah. Anyway. Mulan, Dad, and… Regina all went back into the Enchanted Forest to try and save the day again…”

Zelena spoke up with a question, “How did they get there?”

oOOOOo

_David regarded Regina as they walked along the Enchanted Forest road. “What else are you keeping from us Regina? You had… you had a magic bean plant in your office and once we all got our memories back you told no one?”_

_“It’s a good thing I did too, isn’t it.” She chuckled, “Otherwise, where would we be?”_

_David grabbed Regina’s arm and pulled her backwards, “You’re laughing. My soulmate, my true love, the only woman I will ever LOVE is dead. My daughter, the daughter I never got to know and now never will, is dead too, and you’re LAUGHING?”_

_Regina ripped her arm from David’s hand, poking him in the chest, “Oh, you think that you’re the only one who’s lost someone?”_

_David took a step into Regina’s personal space and lowered his voice, “You chose to kill your father. You chose to do what you did for all those years. You, no one else.”_

_Regina ground her teeth, “That’s not… that’s not what I’m talking about.”_

_David took a step back, confused, the anger draining from his face, “Regina…”_

_Regina shook her head, “Leave it. It doesn’t matter David. Leave it alone.”_

_“You loved Snow?”_

_Regina raised an eyebrow, “Don’t push it, Charming.”_

_David’s brows furrowed, “Emma? You… you tried to kill her.”_

_Regina inclined her head, “I shouldn’t have done that. I was… I was thinking too much like my mother and not like myself. But— I… at some point I— well, I, my feelings for Emma crossed a line.” Regina started walking again, “Don’t worry. I didn’t tell her. I’m not that stupid.”_

_David stopped her, more gently though, “Wait. Regina. Are you… messing with my head?”_

_Regina met David’s gaze, “I have done a lot of bad things in my life, David. And, yes, most likely I’ve lied more than any person should in their life. But, never about love. It would have never worked out, we weren’t true loves. I’m not deluded enough to think that it could have worked, but…” Regina put a hand over her heart, “She seemed to think that I had something, someone better in me, and probably at Henry’s behest, kept trying to believe me at least, and that… not many people have ever believed in me.”_

_“I—” David frowned, “I believe you. That you had feelings for Emma.” He glanced up at Mulan, who was pushing the pace, “But why come with us? This isn’t the first time I’ve rescued a damsel you know.” A small smile came to his face._

_“I couldn’t be there anymore.” Regina shook her head, “Not with how Ruby, Belle, my son-- how all of them were looking at me. As if I should have gone down the well instead of Emma and Snow not coming back up.”_

_“They don’t blame you, Regina.”_

_Regina gave David a look, “Do you truly believe that David? Every single person in Storybrooke blames me for everything from the curse to their most recent hang nail.” David started to say something, but Regina continued, “Look, I don’t blame them anymore. Not— entirely.” She straightened up just a bit, “It’s nothing. I’m dealing with it, just like the renewed hate from my son. I just needed some distance.”_

_“Well— another realm qualifies.” He gave Regina another look, “Regina—”_

_Before he could say another word they were surrounded by four men and what seemed to be a very pregnant woman, all wearing green hoods and scarves over their mouths. The leader spoke, “Give us your gold and we’ll let you live.”_

_Regina stared at the leader for a moment, then she threw her head back and laughed and laughed and laughed. Then with no warning, she went from bordering on hysterical laughing to perfect silence and threw her arms to her sides, knocking all four men back and to the ground, “Instead of your deal, here’s my deal. You four don’t get up and I’ll let you live.”_

_The woman spoke, “And me?” She was tall, and held herself as if she’d spent her life doing hard work. She moved her hand towards her stomach._

_Regina looked down at the baby bump, “Never take your little one for granted and love him every day.” Regina took a step forward and the woman whipped a crossbow out from what had been the bump, pointing it at Regina. “I know who you are— you’re the one who killed Roland’s mother.” The tall woman took two steps towards Regina, “I’ll kill you. You broke Robin’s heart— you broke Roland’s heart. I’ll kill you.”_

_“No, Clorinda, don’t.”_

_Clorinda didn’t pay attention to the leader of the band and raised the crossbow higher._

_Mulan simply watched, her sword still sheathed. David had drawn his when the five bandits had first attacked, but he hadn’t moved. He finally spoke, “Regina?” Regina nodded. With a couple of steps and a hack Clorinda was disarmed. The point of David’s sword held to her throat for a moment then dropped. “Now what?”_

_Regina studied the no longer pregnant looking woman, “I don’t care if you’re robbing people or killing people. I need to find a young princess and two others.”_

_David chimed in, “Two people not from your world.” He sheathed his sword, “Not recently from your world anyway. So, we’ll be on our way now.”_

_He put an arm around Regina, she looked down but didn’t remove it, and they walked by Clorinda. Clorinda practically spit her words at Regina as they passed, “Is he your— knight— your Majesty?”_

_“Be silent, Clorinda.” Clorinda narrowed her eyes, but did as she was told. The leader pulled down his scarf, “I’m Robin. You’re looking for the Princess Aurora?”_

_Mulan finally stepped forward, “What do you know of her, bandit?”_

_Robin’s eyes went from Mulan to David to Regina and stayed on the dark haired woman, “I’ll show you where she is if— she— if the Queen answers my question.”_

_Mulan frowned and looked towards Regina, unsure, and Regina looked to David, “This is an ‘answer the question instead of killing one of his men because it’s the hero thing to do’ situation?”_

_David nodded, “Yes, it is.”_

_Regina looked up, meeting Robin’s eyes and gestured towards him, “Ask your question.”_

_“Did you kill my wife?”_

_“I don’t know.” Both Clorinda and Robin started to speak again, but Regina continued talking over them, “What was her name?”_

_Robin’s jaw worked for a moment, “Marian. Her name was Marian.”_

_Regina was still for a long moment, then looked up, making sure she met Robin’s gaze with her own, “I did. She kept me from Snow White, so I made an example out of her.”_

_Robin stepped towards Regina, his dagger out, but before she could raise her hand David stepped in front of her, “No. The Evil Queen, the woman who killed your wife, is not standing here now.”_

_Neither Robin nor David moved. It was Regina who moved first, giving David a quick pat as she went by. “If Robin wants to kill me, he can try later. Right now, he needs to take us to Princess Aurora.”_

_Robin was still, then sheathed his dagger and nodded, “Will, John, with me. Gil, Clorinda, go back to camp and tell my son and the rest of the men I will just be a bit longer.”_

_“But—” Clorinda started to complain._

_But Robin interrupted her, “Go— please.” She stared at him, then with a huff, caught Gil by the arm and dragged him with her._

_Robin gestured down the road, “Shall we go? She’s not far from here.”_

_oOOOOo_

_Aurora was tired. She wasn’t in the dungeon that she’d started in. A few hours after Mulan left, Hook had come back, trussed her up like a chicken waiting to be cooked and dragged her from one dungeon to another. She wasn’t sure exactly where she was, but while she was hungry, at least there was a bit of water coming down one of the natural walls and so she wasn’t thirsty._

_She wasn’t sure how many days it had been since Mulan had left. She’d lost count, and she was so tired._

_As she lay on her side facing the bars, her mind working through what could have happened to Mulan, her eyes slowly drifted closed._

_“Aurora— Aurora—”_

_She blinked, “Mulan? Am I hallucinating?”_

_Mulan looked behind her at someone else coming, “Where’s the lever? Where—”_

_David put a hand on Mulan’s back and pulled the lever, “Right in front of you.” The bars rose so slowly that Mulan dove under them before they got all the way to the top._

_She went down on her knees in front of Aurora, helping the woman sit up and took the heart from its bag. She carefully held it in her hand. David spoke again, “Should I get—”_

_Mulan shook her head, cutting him off, “No, may we… may I have a moment alone with the Princess?”_

_David nodded and left the dungeon._

_Mulan must have looked nervous because Aurora asked, “Have you done this before?”_

_Mulan gave a slight shake of her head, “No.”_

_That didn’t fill Aurora with a lot of hope. Still, she didn’t move as Mulan carefully laid the heart against Aurora’s chest and with as little force as possible, pushed it in. It still looked like it hurt like hell, and Mulan didn’t breathe again until Aurora took a deep breath of her own. Mulan smiled._

_“Thank you.”_

_Before anyone else could speak Regina appeared at the end of the dungeon’s hallway. “We have to go, now…”_

_Aurora looked between Mulan and Regina. “She’s…”_

_Mulan put a hand up, “It’s a long story.” She helped Aurora up, “Why are we in a hurry?”_

_Regina looked past Mulan, “Her jailers are back.”_

_oOOOOo_

_David was keeping Hook at bay, while Robin, John, and Will tried to keep the six other black guards from advancing. They were having trouble. Aurora gave Mulan a push. “Help them.”_

_Mulan squeezed Aurora’s hand and unsheathed her sword as she joined the men._

_Cora simply stood to the side and watched. Regina did as well for a moment, then closed the distance between them until they were face-to-face, and an arm’s length away from one another. “I found something of yours, Mother. It was well-hidden, but I persevered until I succeeded. Just like you taught me.” She took a heart from a bag at her waist. It was a dark heart. Not entirely black, about three quarters of the way. “Your heart mother.” She transferred it from hand to hand, “I— why, Mother. Tell me why?”_

_Cora pulled her gaze from her heart to her daughter’s face, “Why what?”_

_One of the black guards got through the fighter’s line, running for her. Regina threw a hand out and he was thrown backwards. “Any of it. I— I would have been so happy with Daniel. I didn’t need to be a Queen, or, or any of it. Why, Mother?”_

_“Power. Power is the only way that I knew you would be safe. You had to be safe, my love.” Cora gestured around herself, around both of them. “And, here you are, safe.”_

_A tear ran down Regina’s cheek, “Except, except from you, Mother.” She squeezed the heart and Cora fell to her knees, clutching at her chest. “I love you Mother. But, I can’t let you… you can’t…”_

_Regina squeezed harder and Cora gasped in pain. Regina fell to her knees as well, tears flowing freely down her cheeks._

_Cora raised her hand towards her daughter. “Please, no…”_

_David yelled, “Mulan… take care of Hook.” He was over to Regina in barely three steps, it was as if he’d flown over there. “Regina. Stop.” He dove, catching Regina’s arm with his hand, and sinking to his knees in front of her. “No. Don’t do this, Regina. She’s your mother. If you do this… you’ll never come back from it. You’re not her anymore. You’re not the Evil Queen. You’re not who she made you anymore, Regina. You’re more. Emma saw that, Henry sees that… I can see that. Don’t do this. Please, Regina.”_

_“She’ll destroy Henry. She’s already destroyed me. She’ll destroy you, and all of Storybrooke if she has the chance. I can’t… I can’t let that happen.”_

_Cora gave a cough, “I—” and another, “Can take you to Emma’s body.”_

_Regina was still for a long moment. David stood, and helped Regina to her feet._

_Regina stalked over to her mother and pinned Cora with a look, “You’re lying.”_

_Cora shook her head, then jerked backwards as Regina shoved Cora’s heart into her chest. Regina pressed her hand against where the heart was and closed her eyes. Cora took in short breaths, “What, what are you doing, my daughter?”_

_She took a step back, “Tell me where she is?”_

_Cora nodded, “At the bottom of the hill. Under the tree where you met the Dragon.” She put a hand to her chest, “What did you do to me, Regina?”_

_Regina turned her back on her mother, “You can’t take your heart out anymore.”_

_oOOOOo_

_“Hungry?” Henry shook his head as Granny put a burger and fries down on the edge of Regina’s desk. “I brought Root Beer too.”_

_Henry sighed and looked up, “My Mom liked Root Beer a lot. She tried to get everyone else to like it too.” Without looking he opened the second drawer down on the left side of Regina’s desk and pulled out a bottle opener. “Can I… May I just have this, Granny?”_

_Granny put a hand on Henry’s shoulder, “You can have whatever you want, kiddo. I need to go back, but Ruby is going to stop by too. Is that okay?” Henry nodded. “Good. They’ll be back soon.”_

_Granny left the Mayor’s office. Mom, David, and Mulan had left from the office, and it didn’t matter if Granny sent Ruby, Archie, even Pongo in, he wasn’t going anywhere until David and his Mom came back._

_He wasn’t sure how long he’d sat there. He’d taken a few bites of the hamburger, and then he’d sat there staring at his Mom’s desk. He’d played behind it as a child, sitting in the big chair, and on occasion ordering around his Mom._

_He would tell her that he wanted coffee, a bagel, and last year’s budget. Parrotting things that he’d her say. She’d make him say please. But once he did she would retrieve his apple juice and crackers as well as a copy of the previous year’s budget that he was allowed to color all over._

_Sometimes he wished that he’d never found out that his Mom was the Evil Queen. That his teacher was Snow White, the man in the coma Prince Charming._

_Henry was pulled from reminiscing by what seemed to be between a pop and a bang. He stood and gripped the sword he’d borrowed from David and Snow’s apartment in both hands, holding it towards the door. The swirling blue doorway appeared out of nowhere and Henry still didn’t move._

_David was the first one out, he had Snow’s body cradled in his arms. The sword drooped just a bit. Next came Mulan guiding a very tired-looking Aurora through. And finally came his Moms. The sword clattered to the floor and Henry ran over to them. Henry had never thought of his Mom as physically strong, but whether she was using magic or just sheer will, she carried Emma in her arms. She got down on one knee and gently put her onto the floor as one more person came through and then the portal closed._

_Henry fell to his knees next to Emma and looked up at Regina. “Mom?”_

_Regina knelt down next to him, and put an arm around him. “I’m sorry. She…” Regina shook her head. “I’m sorry, Henry.”_

_Henry curled into his Mom and cried._

_It was Mulan who finally interrupted the mother-and-son reunion. “Your Majesty? What do we do with… her?”_

_Henry looked up and started to speak, but Regina patted his shoulder. “Mulan is referring to my mother, not yours.”_

_He slowly turned his head and focused on Cora. He seemed to be trying to stare into her soul, and then he turned back to Regina. “Can we go home, Mom?”_

_Regina nodded and stood, pulling Henry up with her. “David, I know this isn’t fair, but…”_

_He cut her off, “I’ll take care of both of them. Call Grumpy, and we’ll get them both to the morgue. And we can take Cora to the jail for now as well.”_

_“Thank you.”_

_David nodded, “I’ll stop by the mansion before I go home.”_

_oOOOOo_

_David opened his eyes as Regina sank into her couch across from him. “Henry’s asleep?”_

_“Henry’s reading his comic books. He’s eleven and just lost his mother. I don’t… I don’t think he’s going to sleep a whole night for awhile.”_

_Silence fell._

_It was Regina who finally broke it, “I’m sorry. I don’t remember if I’ve said that. Maybe if I hadn’t…”_

_David cut her off, “Stop. You heard what happened. It all happened before they had a chance to come through the portal.” After, they both were silent for another few minutes David stood. Regina followed suit. “I should go.”_

_“You don’t have to, David. You can sleep in the guest room.”_

_David shook his head, “I have to face the apartment sometime.”_

_They walked to the front hallway. Regina spoke, “Thank you.”_

_“For?”_

_“Not laughing when I asked my question about…”_

_“…if you should answer Hood’s question or kill someone.”_

_“I was being serious.”_

_“I know.” He paused, “And, I was wrong. I said that the Evil Queen wasn’t standing on that road. I was wrong, she was, she will always be inside you, Regina, I think you know that as well as anyone. But, we are not just— one thing. And there is no such thing as fate.”_

_Regina gave David a confused look, “So says the man who was always nattering on about ‘always finding’ his dear Snow.”_

_David shook his head, “No. I would always choose to find Snow. You can choose to be the Evil Queen, or you can choose not to.” He studied Regina, “Do you believe that evil is born?”_

_“No. But, I didn’t get to choose to be evil last time, it was chosen for me, it was the only way that I could…”_

_“Not be the loser, not be the victim, not…”_

_“…become pregnant with Leopold’s child.” Regina went still and shook her head. “I— pretend you didn’t hear that.”_

_Neither David nor Regina moved for a moment, then David put a hand on Regina’s shoulder. “Try and get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day too, we have to plan…”_

_Regina nodded, “…their funerals. I know, I know. Good night, David.”_

_“Good night, Regina.”_


	10. Chapter 10

Neal paused again. Snow was shooting Regina daggers, thankfully she didn’t have her sword or any arrows with her or Regina would have looked quite like a pin cushion. “Anyway, I’m not sure exactly how Dad and Regina got together, but, they did.” 

Emma was staring at Regina as well, but with an entirely different look on her face, a confused look. And Henry was watching both of them, a curious look on his face. It was the look that he had gotten before both Operation Cobra and Operation Mongoose came into being.

Neal continued with the story, “This is where I appear.”

oOOOOo

_“Regina, did you feel that?”_

_“No.” Regina shook her head just as a cry came from the living room of the mansion. “But I heard that.” She made her way into the living room, but ground to a halt halfway in. She approached the couch. “A baby?”_

_“Did you just say baby?” David appeared in the doorway, “One of ours?”_

_Regina shook her head, “Well, considering that our newest little one is still in her birth Mom's uterus.”_

_David raised an eyebrow, “Did you just use uterus in polite conversation?”_

_“Funny. Should I have used the always inaccurate belly?” David shrugged, “May I continue?” He gestured that she should. “The twins are definitely past this age… so, no, not one of ours.”_

_David came to Regina’s side and put an arm over her shoulders, “They’re five, Regina, not twenty…” David reached down and picked the little boy up. “I wonder where he came from?”_

_Regina ran a hand along the baby boy’s head, “We could ask Rumpel.”_

_“Or we could repeatedly poke ourselves in the eyes.”_

_Regina smiled at that and the boy opened his eyes and stared up at Regina. He reached a hand towards her and gripped Regina’s fingers. David smiled, “He likes you—” He handed him to her. “I don’t blame him,” David leaned down and kissed Regina, “You’re very lovable.”_

_Regina rolled her eyes as she let David’s arms encircle her, “Don’t tell the rest of Storybrooke, or I’ll lose my edge as Mayor.”_

_David rested his chin on Regina’s head, “I love you, Regina Mills. It may not be true love— so don’t get into any tight spots that require true love’s kiss, but, I do love you truly.”_

_Regina turned in his arms, the baby boy between them. “I love you too, David.” The little boy made a happy sound, “You know that I wouldn’t have survived losing Emma if not for you, right? I didn’t even know how much I loved her until I lost her.”_

_“I know. And I wouldn’t have come through to the other side of losing Snow without you either, Regina. And Henry, Emmett, and Danny helped too. Speaking of the boys…”_

_Regina nodded and stepped out of David’s arms. “You wake them up, I’ll…” She looked down at the boy, “We’ll get started on breakfast.”_

_David ruffled the boy’s hair, “Will you take him with you to the office?”_

_“I don’t think you can, Sheriff Nolan, unless you installed a baby sized car seat in your truck while I wasn’t looking?” David inclined his head with a wisp of a smile, “So, yes.” She turned to go into the kitchen, then turned back, “We’ll transfer the boys’ seats into your truck. While you’re up there waking them…”_

_“…could I trudge up to the attic and bring down the twins’ car seats? Yes, dear.” He ducked and laughed as one of the couch pillows came flying at him. He then took the stairs two at a time, “Up and at ‘em boys. You get one free wake-up call, then it’s time for the… wet washcloths…”_

_Regina rolled her eyes again as she made her way into the kitchen. She ducked into the pantry, and found where she’d stashed the high chair. She pulled it out with one hand and put it by the table. Before putting him into it, she looked down into the boy’s eyes. “I have a guess as to who you are. But, let’s see if you have a name in there little one.” She closed her eyes and the baby’s head was surrounded by a soft white glow._

_The pounding of feet came from the stairs as Regina opened her eyes. Emmett and Danny came charging into the kitchen, followed at a more sedate pace by Henry. “Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama…” It was Emmett who was talking a mile a minute._

_Danny and Henry had spotted the baby in Regina’s arms and gone still and silent. After a moment, Henry smirked, “Did you forget to tell us something Mom?”_

_“Whose baby is it, Mama?”_

_Regina looked up as David came into the room, “His name is Neal—” David looked surprised, Regina continued, “Although some of the people where he comes from call him Little Neal because he’s named after the original Neal Cassidy.”_

_Henry frowned, “Where he comes from?”_

_“Neal is the son of Snow White and David, but not our Snow and David. Neal’s from another world.”_

_David spoke up, “Another realm?”_

_Regina put Neal in the high chair, and started to make breakfast, “Emmett, Danny, wash up for breakfast.”_

_“Aw— but Mama—”_

_David put a hand on each of their backs and guided them towards the half bath that was just off the kitchen, “Listen to your mother.” He shot a look at her, “She’ll finish the story of this little guy once everyone’s eating.”_

_Regina did indeed wait until everyone was seated at the table and eating before she resumed, “To answer your father’s question. No, not another realm, but another entire world— a whole set of our realms, but ones that are different.”_

_Henry had only barely eaten his eggs, “So, a place where Grandma and Emma are alive?”_

_Regina slowly nodded and put a hand over Henry’s. “Yes. I’ve seen what he saw. Snow’s his first memory, then David, and soon after your Mom.”_

_Henry stared at his mother for a long moment, “You’re skipping something.”_

_Regina nodded, “I am.” She paused, “His birth was— exciting.”_

_Henry frowned, “Why?”_

_“It doesn’t matter.”_

_Henry’s frown deepened, “You won’t tell us.”_

_“I will not.”_

_He speared a piece of pancake just a bit too hard, “You never tell me anything anymore.”_

_Always the peacemaker when tension started filling the Mills-Nolan home, Danny piped up, “We gonna keep him, we gonna keep him?”_


	11. Chapter 11

Emma spoke, “I take it that they kept you?”

Neal inclined his head, “They did. They raised me like I was another one of their kids. I mean… it’s not surprising, we were all adopted.”

Snow asked, “From where?”

Neal gestured around the kitchen, “From Storybrooke.” Before Snow could speak again, he did, “I’m not going to tell you who their birth parents were.” A half-grin came to his lips, “They named the little girl after you: Snow Mills-Nolan, they left off the White. She arrived a few weeks after I got to their world.” He glanced at Regina, then David. “The two alternate versions of you told me my story as soon as I was old enough to know it, but, I still didn’t know why I was in their world. If you two hadn’t wanted me, or if you had been saving me, or… what…”

Snow pulled Neal’s hand to her, “Never Neal, I was… it was one night. How could…”

Neal put his hand over Snow’s, “I know… Mom. I know what happened now, but then…” He shook his head, “Anyway. Dad, you were the Sheriff. Regina was the Mayor, and you guys as well as Mulan, Ruby and the rest of the gang saved the world— a lot. By the time I was sixteen you’d gone up against all the bad guys that I could imagine. From Mal, to Rumpel, to Ingrid, and all those who came into town and wanted to hurt Storybrooke. And, somehow Dad, you managed to keep everyone from Cora, to a grumpy part-time dragon and her daughter, to a former ice queen, to a sometimes green-tinged Aunt Zelena, to a former sea Princess called Ursula, to a black and white haired sociopath named Cruella from killing each other, and had them living in harmony.” He paused, “Well, mostly in harmony.”

oOOOOo

_“The next person who moves gets a bolt through the heart.”_

_“Granny— put down the crossbow.”_

_Granny glanced up at David, “With all respect, Sheriff. No. It’s always my diner. Never the Mayor’s office, or the Sheriff’s office, or the library, it’s always the diner. My diner.”_

_David glanced at Neal. He’d been begging to go on patrol with David for months. David just wished that he’d put him off for a few more days. He walked to the counter and gripped the end of the crossbow. “You know I can’t let you hurt any of them, Granny.”_

_Granny huffed, “Zelena set the juke box on fire. Again. Ingrid got angry about it, threw an ice ball at Zelena, but missed and hit Ursula, which meant that Cruella…”_

_“I get it.” He put a hand up, “I get it.” He turned and regarded the four former villains. “All of you— outside.” All four started to complain, and David put his hand on the butt of his gun. “Are any of you bulletproof?”_

_Cruella spoke, “You would never shoot us.”_

_David held his hand out and Neal put a Taser in it. “Are you immune to electricity?”_

_Ursula stood and pulled Cruella with her, “Stop mouthing off to the Sheriff, Cru—”_

_“Yes— dear.”_

_After a pause, both Zelena and Ingrid stood as well and exited too._

_David took a deep breath in and slowly let it out. “I am sorry, Granny.”_

_“You have nothing to be sorry for David— but— you’d be doing me quite a favor if you let your son stay here and help me clean up this mess.”_

_David glanced at Neal, “That’s up to you, Neal.”_

_Neal nodded, “Of course.” He glanced towards the door, “Will you be okay, Dad?”_

_David clapped Neal on the shoulder, “I’ve dealt with worse than those four, after all I raised you and your siblings?”_

_Neal rolled his eyes as David left._

_Granny leaned on the counter and studied David. “Okay, spill. Why are you really here young man?”_

_“I— I—”_

_The door dinged and both looked up. Ruby entered, “Granny, hey kid… whoa, another villain smack down?”_

_Granny looked between Neal and Ruby. “Yes, I need to finish something in the kitchen. Would you mind helping Neal get everything he needs to sweep up the rubble of what once was my jukebox?”_

_Ruby gave a faux salute, “You’ve got it.” Granny disappeared into the kitchen and Ruby went behind the bar. “So, how’s life treating you Neal?”_

_Neal shrugged, “Fine I guess.” She handed him a broom and dustpan. He swallowed, “Um, do you have a bucket back there too?”_

_“A bucket?”_

_He shrugged again, “I thought, I mean. Some of it just looks charred. So maybe I can put it back together or something for Granny.”_

_Ruby looked at the charred jukebox for a bit, then nodded mostly to herself. “How ‘bout this. I’ll bring my car around to the front and we’ll load ‘er in. Then take it to your house. You can see if you can fix it there.”_

_“You would?” He nodded quickly, “That sounds good, yes.”_

_Ruby put an arm around Neal, “Of course I would, bud, Granny still can’t stop talking about how well you fixed her stove.” Neal smiled a little sheepishly, “Seriously. Can’t. Shut. Up. About it.” Neal laughed._


	12. Chapter 12

Emma snickered and everyone looked over at her, “Neal-y had a cruushh…”

“Oh, shut up.”

Emma smirked, “Make me little brother.”

Neal started to lunge for Emma, but Snow put a restraining hand on his shoulder, “Children.” Both her hands went to cover her mouth. “I— I—”

Neal laughed, and then Emma joined in, and Henry, and soon the whole kitchen was laughing.

It took everyone awhile to calm back down, but when they did Neal held a hand out and Snow took it and neither of them let go. “Ah, where was I. Yeah, life was good for five years. Regina ran the town like a fine Swiss watch, and Dad was there when something got just a little out of sync to lend his support and get it running perfectly again. The people of Storybrooke were happy, the Mills-Nolan family was happy, I was so happy.” He looked over at David, “This was Storybrooke though. Nothing is perfect for long.” He looked down, “It wasn’t a bullet or a villain who took down Dad, Alternate David, in the end.”

oOOOOo

_David had already talked to Little Snow, Danny, and Emmett. Neal was next, but Neal wasn’t ready. He was pretty sure that he’d never be ready. It didn’t matter that he was 21 years old, David was his Dad, biologically and in every other way._

_“Hey.”_

_David held up a hand. “Close the door, ‘kay bud?”_

_“You’re going to tell me to look after Mama?”_

_David laughed, it soon turned into a cough. When he caught his breath again he spoke, “Are you kidding me-- she’s never needed me. She raised Henry all alone for the first ten years of his life.”_

_Neal took David’s hand, “We all need you Dad-- we do-- why…” He dropped his Dad’s hand and looked away, wrapping his arms around himself. “You’re-- you’re my only connection to the real me, Dad.”_

_“Hey.” Neal didn’t move, “Hey--” David caught Neal’s arm, “Sit, son.” Neal sat on the edge of the bed and reluctantly looked at David, “Who’re the biological parents of the twins? Who’s the biological parents of Little Snow?”_

_Neal looked down, “Not you and Mama.”_

_David squeezed Neal’s hand and he looked back at his father, “You should know better than this. Family has nothing to do with blood, you know that, Neal. Will you do something for me? Let your Mama look after you, bud._

_Neal nodded, “I-- I love you, Dad.”_

_David pulled Neal into a hug, “I love you too, son. And one more thing, if you get a chance to go home. To your world. Make sure you do okay?”_

_Neal nodded slowly, “I-- I will. Should I send in Mama?”_

_“Sure. I love you, Neal.”_

_“I love you too, Dad.” Neal leaned forward and gave David another hug. Then after a moment of stillness, turned and left the room. David knew that he wouldn’t have to wait long for Regina to appear, and she didn’t disappoint._

_She quirked an eyebrow and gently moved David over in the bed, sitting up against the headboard and pulling David into her arms. “Did you really just tell our son to go home, to leave us?”_

_David smiled. “You know that eventually, he will return. This is still a land with many fairy tale rules, and one of them is that the ones who raise the boy they found don’t necessarily get to have him as an adult.”_

_Regina rolled her eyes, “Fairy tale rules suck.”_

_David put a hand to his chest, “Language, dear, language.”_

_“Funny.”_

_David paused, “I…”_

_Regina cut David off, “David, it’s okay. I know your true love is still Snow White. I’ve always known that. You’re my best friend, David and I love you, but, I knew what I was getting into when I asked you to marry me. After losing Daniel, and then Emma…”_

_David pushed himself all the way into a sitting position and moved so that he was next to Regina. He took her hand and put it against his chest, “And I have never regretted saying yes. Five kids, it’s more than I could have ever imagined I’d have, not after…” Regina mumbled something._

_David frowned, “What did you say?”_

_Regina shook her head, “It doesn’t matter.”_

_“Regina… come on, there’s something you haven’t told me?”_

_Regina stared straight ahead towards the dresser that was across from the bed. On top of it was a family photo. Henry, David, Danny, Emmett, Neal, and Little Snow. She shook her head, and still didn’t look at David. “I said, me too. I can’t have children. I-- before the curse, I drank a potion. One with no cure. That’s why no matter how much we--”_

_David interrupted Regina, “Regina, my love, we most definitely raised children together, wouldn’t you say?”_

_Regina smiled sadly, “We did.”_

_David was silent for a moment, then laughed, “Of course we did.” He turned Regina’s head and kissed her. “What is the one thing that can break any curse?”_

_Regina shook her head and laid her head against David’s chest, “We didn’t break any curse. I love you David, but, that’s just...”_

_David tangled his fingers in Regina’s hair, it was back to being its short length. “And yet it happened…” He waggled his eyebrows, “Together we had five wonderful children. So, potion be damned, right?”_

_That brought a small smile to Regina’s lips, “Potion be damned. And, it was fun to see if we could break the curse the old fashioned way. You are quite a good lover.”_

_David laughed again, “Let’s just not put that on my tombstone, ‘kay?” Regina nodded, and David took her face in his hands again, gently kissing each of her cheeks, her forehead, nose, and finally her lips._

_“You’ll take good care of them?”_

_“The children? Why would you…”_

_David put a finger against Regina’s lips, “Our town.”_

_“I-- I will. I won’t go dark.”_

_David smirked, “You can go a little dark if you want. Scare the hell out of George every once in a while.” David paused, “Regina… when Neal leaves…”_

_Regina frowned, “David, do you know something?”_

_“Nah… but… if I had to guess. You all have maybe seven more years.”_

_Regina held David’s gaze, “Twenty eight. Like Emma.”_

_“Seven great years.” Regina closed her eyes, a tear falling. David wiped it away before it fell from her cheek, “I don’t want you to die, David. I’ve… I’ve lost so much already.”_

_“I don’t want to leave, Gina. If there was any way... but…”_

_Regina sighed, “...there isn’t.”_

_“May I make a suggestion for your next… conquest?”_

_“David Nolan. You may not.”_

_He smirked, “I’m gonna anyway, ‘cause I’m dying, you know. Mal.”_

_“Maleficent?”_

_He laughed, “She’s got the hots for you. So do all the former villains in this town. But… Cruella’d kill you or make you into a coat if you went near Ursula. And I think that Ingrid and Zelena are fighting over the guy that lives in the forest.”_

_“Robert something?”_

_“Yeah, him. So. That leaves Mal. Strong woman who can stand up to you, but, if you’ve ever seen her with her daughter, inside she’s a cream puff, just like you.”_

_Regina pursed her lips, “She calls me Reggie.”_

_David laughed, and laughed, and laughed until his laughter turned to coughing and Regina made circles on his back until it stopped. “Guess you’ll have to teach her like you taught me not to call you ‘Gina’.” Regina swallowed. “Let it out, Gina. I’m here.”_

_She curled into David and the hard shell that had been keeping her together for their kids, for the town, for herself seemed to explode into a million metaphorical pieces. Tears streamed down her face, and silent sobs racked her body. David simply put his arms around Regina and held her._


	13. Chapter 13

There was only the chirping of the birds and the rustling of the wind in Regina’s backyard. David was the one who finally broke the silence, clearing his throat. “Ah, so… was it seven years later?”

Neal nodded, “It was. And then I met Nyx.”

Regina frowned, “The blacksmith.”

“Yeah… that’s just her day job, she’s…” He shook her head, “She’s more than just a blacksmith.”

oOOOOo

_“You have my burger, Mr. Mills-Nolan.”_

_Neal glanced over, “Huh?”_

_The woman who had spoken chuckled, “So much like her. I’m Nyx. You’re Neal.”_

_Neal frowned as Nyx slid his burger from his place to hers. “Like her?”_

_“Your sister— so noble, so —girl next door— well, boy—” Nyx looked him up and down, “Nah, definitely man… you’re taller, and your hair’s a bit redder than hers is. Of course you two do share that inner strength that just shines through everything else and draws people to you.”_

_“You knew her?”_

_Nyx took a bite of the purloined burger, “You were supposed to say, ‘are you drawn to me, Nyx?’. You’re getting your lines wrong. Did your crush on Ruby, and her shooting you down a few years ago mess up your game that much?” Nyx paused, “And it’s not ‘knew’, it’s ‘know’.”_

_That got Neal’s attention, “What? That was present tense. She’s alive?”_

_Nyx took another bite of the burger and made a sound deep in her chest, “Mm… that’s good.”_

_Neal grabbed her arm, “Tell me.”_

_Nyx ignored Neal, taking another bite, then finally putting down the burger. She wiped her lips, and glanced to either side of them. They were alone in the diner, not even Ruby was behind the counter. “Let me tell you a little story.”_

_“No, I want…”_

_Nyx pulled her arm away from Neal and cut him off, “Do you want an answer to your question or not, kid?”_

_Neal raised an eyebrow, “Kid?”_

_Nyx smirked, “All part of the story. So… once upon a time… there was a— couple. They were quite in love. Others weren’t happy about that, but, they couldn’t have cared less about others. Their love was one from which anything was possible. They thought that… they knew that it would end, they lived in a dangerous world, but, they put it into the back of their mind, and then one day…”_

_Neal frowned interrupting Nyx, “This is you right? You’re telling me your story?”_

_Nyx folded her arms over her chest, “Do you want to hear the story or not?” Neal gestured that she should go on. “Thank you. One day they had to make a choice, to live and let others die, or to die so that others would live. One of them chose to die, and thought that that would be that. She said a last good-bye to her love, they drifted on a boat into the sunset, and yet when the one who died came to, she wasn’t in heaven, she wasn’t even in hell where she’d assumed she’d end up, she was in a different world altogether.”_

_“A different realm?”_

_Nyx shook her head, “No, a different world.”_

_“I don’t—”_

_Nyx put a hand up, “Just like your sister, so damn impatient. I’m not the storyteller you know. She is. From what I’ve learned in the time that I’ve been… me. The— everything— has…”_

_Neal interrupted Nyx again and Nyx put a hand to her side, her hand gripping something even though there was nothing hanging there. “The Multi-verse? Like in DC and Marvel?”_

_Nyx sighed, “Sure. In the Multi-verse there are different worlds. And on some of those worlds there are the different realms. On others there is simply the Earth.”_

_Neal couldn’t help himself, he interrupted again, “Why does this matter?”_

_Nyx crossed her arms in front of herself, pulling her black t-shirt over her head, leaving her just in a bra. She turned so that her back faced Neal, “Do you know what that is?” Neal stared at the bright red scar-looking mosaic on Nyx’s back until she put back on the t-shirt. “Well?”_

_“Uh, my mother is Regina Mills, if we didn’t get As she got this pinched ‘I’ll always love you, but you seriously got a B’ look on her face. We all wound up getting As eventually. Of course I know what it is, it’s a Lichtenberg figure. Usually caused by lightning or energy. But, it’s usually little when it’s on a human, and, goes away. What happened? A weapon on this other world?”_

_“She.”_

_Neal put a hand on Nyx’s shoulder. “C’mon. Stop with the… she, and one, and… it’s you, right? You’re the one who died and got… whatever, transported.”_

_Nyx stared at the young man for a long moment, the nodded. “Yes. I did. There was a woman and a man on this Earth that I landed on. They were terrified because it was shaking itself apart.”_

_“The Earth?”_

_Nyx nodded, “It was dying I think. They ran up to me, and they each put a hand on one of my shoulders and all of a sudden my body is on fire, my back. I push the male away, and asked the woman what was going on.”_

_Neal shot Nyx a look, “Oh, you did it in perfect English while being totally calm?”_

_“No, I probably swore in multiple languages with some words that would make your precious ears turn redder than an apple. She just kept repeating, ‘You can save her, you can save her, you can save her’. And then I was gone again.”_

_“To another world.”_

_Nyx tilted her head to one side, “You’re getting faster on the uptake.”_

_“Many years of my oldest brother’s comic books do that to a person. Did you land on this Earth?”_

_Nyx nodded, “I did. But, I also found that if I concentrated really hard I could go home too.”_

_Neal frowned, “Your home is…”_

_Nyx finished his sentence, “…the same world that you come from, but, I’ve been to many others. Some are beautiful and perfect, the entire Earth is at peace. Others are horrible, everyone’s always fighting, or everyone’s dead.” Nyx looked away for a moment, “I’ve been on too many of those.” She shook her head, “That doesn’t matter.”_

_“Then what is it that matters?”_

_Nyx gripped an invisible sword, “Do you know how to use a sword?”_

_Neal raised an eyebrow, “Again, Regina Mills is my mother, David Nolan my father, what do you think?” Nyx didn’t respond, “Why do I need to be able to use a sword.”_

_Nyx stood from the stool, “Because I need help. I’m not the only one who can jump between worlds anymore. I don’t know when she got the power. Maybe some of the destroyed worlds are even because of her. Maybe all of them are. She… she likes to conquer. Her name is Alti, and I think she was the one who brought you here twenty eight years ago.”_

_“Alti.”_

_Nyx nodded. “Yes. Will you help me?”_

_Neal leaned his head on his hand and stared at Nyx, “It means that I don’t get to come back, doesn’t it?”_

_“Yes. I can bounce between worlds like a super ball, but normal humans cannot.”_

_“Is she going to destroy my world?”_

_Nyx shook her head, “No, not yet at least. The world we would be saving is one of the worlds that’s entirely at peace.”_

_A look of understanding dawned on Neal, “They have no defenses.”_

_Nyx nodded, “Exactly. Luckily for us, that also means that it will only be her. That’s why I need you.”_

_“Two against one. Like the twins vs. Me when I was growing up.”_

_“Yes. So?”_

_Neal was silent for a long few minutes, thinking. Finally he nodded. “I have to say good-bye to my family first though.”_

_Nyx clapped Neal on the shoulder. “Good. Tomorrow we leave.”_

_“Tomorrow?”_

_Nyx looked around the diner, and suddenly it was filled with people. Neal jumped a little. “Have they… we were just… Where the hell did they all come from?”_

_Nyx stood and put a hand on Neal’s shoulder. “Unless you plan to change your mind and stay, say your goodbyes, Mr. Mills-Nolan.”_


	14. Chapter 14

_Neal lifted his fist to knock on the Mayor’s office door, then let it drop and instead simply opened the door. He took in the room. Regina sat behind her desk. Just as she had for all of Neal’s years. She looked a bit older, her dark hair streaked with some silver, laugh lines around her eyes, and her hands were more wrinkled than Neal remembered._

_“You never did know how to knock.”_

_Neal smiled, “It was Henry’s fault, you know. He tried to get me in trouble with you once. Told me that it was okay if I just went in. That I-- in fact-- should just go in.”_

_“I know. You’re here to tell me that you’re going home.”_

_Neal stared at the ground, his hands clasped in front of him. “I-- tell me to stay Mama, and I will. I don’t… I will never see the twins again, or my little sister, or…”_

_Regina stood and came around the desk. “Sit, sit…” He did and she moved the visitor chairs closer together, taking his hand as she sat as well. “But, you’ve had 28 years with them. Now, you have the chance to have years with your mother…”_

_“...you’re my mother.”_

_Regina patted Neal’s hands. “With your mother, Snow, and with your big sister.”_

_Neal took a deep breath, “I don’t know if I can do it. They could be horrible people in this other world.” He looked up at Regina, “You could still be a horrible person.”_

_Regina squeezed his hands and then let go. “If I am, then I am. You know that you have to do this, Neal. And your father made me promise that I would let you do this when the time came.”_

_Neal stood and Regina did as well. “I-- can we all have dinner together tonight? The family?”_

_Regina stood as well and pulled him into a hug, “Of course. My special Lasagna?”_

_Neal smiled and unrestrained smile, “Damn straight.”_

_“Neal Graham Mills-Nolan… I taught you better than that.”_

_Neal smirked, “Sorry Mama… I’m… I’m going to go talk to Snow, Emmett, and Danny.” Neal wrapped his arms around Regina and just held her for a long few minutes, “I love you more than words, Mama.”_

_“And I love you more than that, my son.” She took a step back and cleared her throat once, then again, “Go, go… there’s only so much of the day left. Will you bring the wine?”_

_“Always.”_

_Neal left the office, the door closing behind him, Regina let out the shuddering breath that she’d been holding, and closed her eyes. “I don’t know if I can do this, David. I don’t know…”_

_oOOOOo_

_Henry was the next one he went to visit. He figured that he may as well do it in birth order, not admitting to himself that he really just had no idea how to tell his little sister good-bye and so, was going to put her off for as long as possible._

_Henry’s official title was Deputy Mayor. No one was ever quite sure what exactly he did around town, but, they didn’t say anything because for the two weeks that he’d been gone three years prior, the town had started falling apart._

_Neal found him at the DPW garage, just finishing something up with one of the Dwarves who was in charge of the maintenance of the town roads. Neal waited. The moment that Henry saw his little brother a frown came to his face. “What’s wrong?”_

_“Nothing, I mean…” Neal glanced around. “We should go somewhere else…”_

_Henry thought for a second, then nodded, “I have the perfect place.” He paused, then took out his phone, “And, I’m going to call the twins.”_

_“Henry…”_

_Henry pointed at Neal, “Nope. I’m the oldest brother. My call. This is something big, I can feel it in my Truest Believer Heart.”_

_Neal rolled his eyes, “Yeah, yeah, fine. Call Emmett and Danny, but not Snow, okay?”_

_“Deal.”_

_oOOOOo_

_Neal found what the two twins had turned into quite hilarious after growing up with them. As kids, Emmett had been the serious one, while Danny had gone off the deep end repeatedly, usually pulled back by the scruff of his neck by their father._

_But, in their adulthood it was as if they’d switched brains. Danny, although he only let his family and Aunt Ruby call him that, it was Daniel for everyone else, was the DA of Storybrooke, while Emmett wasn’t doing as well. He worked in the mines that Grumpy and David had gotten back up and running, when he wasn’t getting thrown in the Sheriff’s lock-up by Sheriff Neal or Deputy Snow._

_They had both come at Henry’s call though, and they both sat on what had been their childhood castle. It was really nothing more than a piece of playground equipment, but, with wooden swords and lots of imagination they had turned it into a castle of the Enchanted Forest, and they, including Snow, were the knights to win the day._

_“What’s up Neal? We waiting for Snow to get here?”_

_Neal shook his head as he came to a stop in front of the castle, “No. She’s next… I—” Henry put a hand on Neal’s shoulder. “I’m leaving.” Silence._

_Emmett was the first to break the silence, “That’s bullshit, man. Bullshit. They got rid of you, just… left you here. It’s been 28 fucking years man, and they haven’t tried to get you, or, or whatever. They-- left-- you…”_

_Henry spoke up, “We don’t know that. Maybe they had no choice like with Emma. Would you hold it against Dad, giving up Emma to save her life?”_

_Emmett stood, “Yeah, whatever. I’m outta here since it looks like you’ve already made your decision.” He stormed off and Neal looked between him and Henry and Danny. Henry patted him on the shoulder, “Go, go… I already got Mom’s text about dinner. We’ll see you there.”_

_“Danny?”_

_Danny hopped to the ground and gave Neal a quick hug, “Go after him, see you tonight.”_

_Neal jogged to catch up with Emmett, falling into step with him. “You know that I’m supposed to be the younger brother, right Emmy? You’re supposed to be all old and wise and…”_

_“Just shut the fuck up, okay?”_

_Neal nodded, “Okay, we’ll just walk then.”_

_Emmett whirled on Neal, poking him in the chest, once, then again, “Don’t you get it. I need you here. Okay? You’re the only one in this whole damn town that doesn’t look at me with pity. You’re the only one who… I have nothing. I’m good at nothing. Henry has his mayor apprenticeship or mayor heir weird thing going on, and Snow has being your Deputy, now probably the Sheriff, and Danny’s the DA, and you’re the Sheriff, and… I have nothing okay. And--” He threw his arm out, “I what, spend nights in your drunk tank and some days doing crap the Dwarves don’t even want to do anymore? I-- I should just become a villain and... and then maybe at least people will respect me.”_

_“Ask Mama.”_

_Emmett looked at Neal as if he’d grown another head, “C’mon, be serious.”_

_“I am.”_

_Emmett shook his head, “No, she’ll… she’ll be mad, and, I don’t want to disappoint her.”_

_Neal put a hand on Emmett’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, “Henry, you and Danny, me, Snow, she chose us… she chose us all even though she didn’t have to. She could have let someone else take me, take you guys, she could have given back Henry, but she didn’t. She will never not love you, Emmett. Ask her for help. I think she’ll surprise you.”_

_Emmett stared at Neal for a long moment, then sighed, “Yeah, maybe.” He paused, “So, dinner then?”_

_Neal tilted his head to one side, “I’ve gotta go see our sister. Then, yeah…” He smirked, “Unless you’d like to have another break down or something, big brother.”_

_“Ha, ha… get outta here and don’t forget go let down your girlfriend too…”_

_“Ruby’s not my girlfriend.” Emmett laughed, “You little…” Neal shot him a look and whacked his little brother on the back of the head._

_oOOOOo_

_“I already know, Neal.”_

_“Danny?”_

_Snow shook her head, her blonde braid bouncing just a bit, “Henry.”_

_“Really?” Snow took the taser from her belt and passed it from one hand to the other. Neal carefully took it from her and put it on her desk. “I don’t really want to be tased again.” That brought a smile to Snow’s face, “Yeah, you think it’s funny. I felt like fricasseed chicken for days afterwards.”_

_She looked down at her hands and Neal followed her gaze, “Oh… oh crap, he asked you, didn’t he? Roland Hood.” She nodded slowly and Neal took her hands in his own. She looked up at him, “I’m sorry Snow, I am, just… I won’t go.”_

_Snow gave his hands a squeeze and let go. “No, it’s okay. I know that you wouldn’t be leaving if it wasn’t important. I can— I survived Dad dying, and, you’ll still be alive somewhere, right?”_

_Neal made a cross over his heart, “I promise. Whatever world I end up in, I will live to be old and gray.”_

_“And, find us all. I mean, you’ll still be in Storybrooke right?” Neal nodded, “Then, find us, whether we’re babies, or adults, or whatever. You’ll find us?”_

_Neal pulled Snow to him, engulfing her in a hug, “I promise little sister, I promise.”_

_oOOOOo_

_“Are you ready?”_

_“Not in the least,” he looked up at Nyx, “Is this the right thing? Going away?” He sighed, “It doesn’t feel like it.”_

_Nyx nodded, “Look at it this way. Here— there’s no one to save here— between all the reformed Villians, and your Mother and… this version of Storybrooke is brimming with the powerful. Your family is well-protected.”_

_“Emmett—”_

_Nyx waved a hand, “He’ll be fine. He’s just lost his way a little bit. The world that we’re going to, they have no one left who’s powerful enough to go up against Alti. And on your… home world… They’re all in pain. It’s chaos. They think they know what happiness is, but they’ve— none of them maybe other than your birth parents— never have known true happiness. Not recently, at least.”_

_Neal studied Nyx, “You told me what world you’re from Nyx, but which realm are you from? When you told me your whole story, but… it didn’t sound like a Neverland, or Wonderland, or even Dr. Whale’s land… which realm did you start in Nyx?”_

_Nyx put a hand to her heart, “That doesn’t really matter at this point.”_

_Neal frowned and started to ask another question, but after a pause, decided not to. Instead he took a breath in and let it out, “Chaos?”_

_“Chaos.”_

_Neal nodded and rolled his shoulders, his red leather jacket settling. “Okay. Poof me.”_

_Nyx shook her head, “Poofing—” She put a hand on Neal’s forehead, “—right.” And between one blink and the next Nyx disappeared._

_Neal looked around, “Still in the backyard, guess it didn’t work--.” A half a tree came flying at him and he only barely dove out of the way in time. “Uh, or not…”_

_Nyx let out a scream that was both primal and beautiful, and the fight began._


	15. Chapter 15

“You defeated her?”

Neal winced, “Sort of. We stopped her from destroying that world, but, she also got away. Nyx thinks that she’s coming here soon.”

Emma had a worried look on her face, “What was her name again?”

“Alti.”

Regina and Emma both put it together at the same time, “Tali…”

Neal frowned, “Who?”

Regina shook her head, “The woman that was… ‘teaching’ the Dark One for eight months.”

“Teaching Me, Regina.”

Regina shifted in her seat so that she faced Emma who was right next to her. “No, Miss Swan. She was teaching the Dark One. I know that because when I was talking to the Dark One, I was definite not talking to you.”

Emma stood, “Does it even matter?” She put a hand on the table to support herself and Henry quickly got up. “I… I’m wiped out. I’m just… don’t wake me for dinner, okay?”

“Emma, you need to eat.” David put a hand on Snow’s arm, “Well, she does, David.”

Regina interjected, “I’ll save some leftovers in the fridge for later.” Regina glanced at Snow. “And, you, David and Neal should get home as well.”

Neal looked between Regina and Snow, “I—” Regina tilted her head to one side and gave him the same look she’d given Henry a thousand times. “Yeah, we should. I mean, I’ve never had dinner a la Snow, though Dad always said that Snow was a good cook.”

Snow looked towards David, “You think that?”

David shrugged, then smirked just a little, “I mean, you can’t cook like Regina, but…” He rubbed at the spot on his shoulder where Snow had whacked him, “Hey now… I was kidding. Too soon?.” 

Snow rolled her eyes and pulled him to her, “You’re all mine, David Nolan,” and kissed him. After an uncomfortable minute she stood and held both her elbows out. David took one and Neal the other. Snow shot Regina a look, “Regina…”

Regina nodded, “Nothing will happen to Emma or Henry…”

“…or you either.”

oOOOOo

Alti appeared below one of the docks. She turned and took a step and walked into a man that smelled quite like a brewery. “Move.”

Hook narrowed his eyes and took a swig of beer, “You’re Tali… what’cha doin’ here.” He looked around, “Where’d you come from anyway?”

Alti threw her hands into the air, “Can you feel it… I feel powerful, rejuvenated. This place. If I’d known that a place like this could exist in the world I wouldn’t have spent so much time conquering worlds, I’d have started right here.” She grabbed his chin in her hand, “Where is The Dark One? She should have been waiting for my return. Tell me, smelly man.”

“Emma?” 

Alti tightened the grip she had on Hook’s chin. “Never mind, I’ll just figure it out myself…” She closed her eyes and sucked in a breath as she burrowed into Hook’s mind. “Ah yes, the big white house on Mifflin Street.”

She gave Hook a push and he fell backwards onto the sand, holding his head, “No… no, I’m sorry, no… I’m sorry, Liam, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

oOOOOo

“Oh— Mom… Mal, I found something.”

Maleficent entered the bedroom, “That’s good, because I haven’t found anything. And Lil, you can choose one. Mal or Mom. Whatever you choose will be okay.”

Lily was silent, then handed Maleficent a leather bound book. “Mom— I think… Everybody else calls you Mal, but I don’t want to be everyone.”

Maleficent smiled and held up the book, “Lily, you are definitely not everyone. So, what’s in the book?”

“It’s not in English or any other language I recognize. My guess is that makes it important.”

Maleficent opened the book and frowned, “It’s a notebook. It seems like he was looking into what exactly,” Maleficent’s frown deepened, “created The Dark One.”

“Did he figure it out?”

Maleficent flipped to the end of Merlin’s writing. “It looks like he had some theories, but, no.” She closed it, “Damnit.”

Lily put an arm around Maleficent, “C’mon— let’s go back.”

Maleficent nodded, “Right. Who knows how badly the town’s fallen apart since we left.” As she went by a table next to the doorway she knocked into a bag on its edge. The bag clattered to the floor.

Lily reached down and took out two Sais from the bag, “Huh?” She handed one of them to Maleficent. “Why would he have these?”

Maleficent shook her head, “Maybe his notebook will tell us. Let’s take them too.”

Lily put them both back into the bag and they left the apartment.

Maleficent spoke as they walked to the car. “Even with the smell of death in his apartment, we don’t know for sure that he’s dead. After all, he’s quite a powerful practitioner of magic.”

Lily held out the keys to her car, “If you drive, I’ll make sure he is dead.”

Maleficent frowned, “How?”

Lily smirked as she slid into the passenger seat and Maleficent started the car. “Patience, Mom.” She scrolled through her contacts and called one near the bottom. “Hey, yeah it’s me. Yeah, I’m still on the outside.” She paused, “I do have a reason actually, and speaking of your day job— no I don’t need a body to disappear. Since you’re not funny, you should definitely keep that day job. Can you see if a— Geoffrey Moridunum— is dead. Yeah, he lived in Woburn.” She rolled her eyes, “How long have you been living in the state? It’s Middlesex County. Who was he? Ah—” She paused, “He was a friend of a friend. Thanks, Chip.” She hung up without saying anything else. “He’ll call me back.”

Maleficent was silent for a moment, simply driving, “May I ask who that was?”

“Chip. An Ex-boyfriend. He’s an ME. He’ll call one of his Doc friends in the Mass ME’s office, since, by the smell it was an unattended death, and then we’ll have our answer.”

Maleficent glanced over at her daughter, “How do you know all that?”

Lily stared out her window, “Nothing impressive. I was just a bartender at a cop bar.”

“Hey.” Lily kept watching the scenery go by. “Lily, I’m a murderous part time dragon who once had a sleeping potion addiction. Whoever you are, whatever you become, I will never judge you and will always be there for you. I love you Lilith.”

Lily made a noise in the back of her throat and turned to face Maleficent, “God, Mom, you sound like Snow now.”

Maleficent laughed, “I do apologize. So, a cop bar, have any good stories?”

oOOOOo

Emma jerked awake in the unfamiliar bed. For a moment that was the biggest of her worries, and then the niggling started in the back of her brain. The Dark One, poking at her, prodding at her. When she’d first felt the freedom of the Dark One she’d thought it was just that. She was due some fun, and she hadn’t killed anyone. She was happy, the Dark One was happy, it was the perfect partnership. But The Dark One kept pushing, wanted death, wanted destruction, and then wanted Regina. Or maybe Emma wanted Regina and the Dark One was just pushing that button. Emma wasn’t sure she could tell where the Dark One ended and she began anymore.

Emma rolled out of bed and stood still for a moment. It was late, or early, and entirely silent in the Mayor’s mansion. She slipped on her shoes and carefully made her way down stairs. She was nearly to the front door when movement in the living room drew her gaze. Regina. She was asleep on the couch.

Emma’s feet took her to Regina’s side almost with no input from her brain. She grabbed a blanket that was on one of the chairs and carefully draped it over the brunette.

Apparently, she hadn’t been careful enough. Emma looked down and right into Regina’s eyes. “I was just… I need to go, before I hurt you or Henry.”

Regina shook her head, “No.”

Emma took a step back as Regina sat, and then stood. “Just that. No. So, suddenly you don’t care about our son? I— I’m going to lose. When I lose it will be better for everyone if I’m not here.”

Regina took a step towards Emma, then back. “You’re an idiot.”

Emma gestured with her chin towards the dagger at Regina’s waist, “Just give me the dagger. I’ll turn entirely evil, and then you and my Mom and Dad and the town can figure out a way to kill me without transferring the Dark One to someone else, and it’ll all be better.”

Regina shook her head, “I don’t want to kill you, Emma.”

Emma gave a half-hearted laugh, “You said that before you know. I believed it more that time.” Emma paused, “When I die, you’ll take care of Henry right?”

Regina frowned, “Of course. He’s my son. Emma, you’re not going to die.” She shook her head, “I don’t understand why you’re assuming that The Dark One will win and not the… Savior part of you?”

Emma turned towards the fireplace, “You’re not in here. You can’t feel it in here. It’s like it’s crawling around in my brain, looking for any nook and cranny to burrow into. Any want and desire that is base and destructive.” Emma looked at Regina again, “I’m sorry for kissing you, for forcing you.”

Emma jumped a little when a laugh came from Regina. It was the last thing that the blonde was expecting. Regina took two steps towards Emma, “Emma Swan. You did not. I—” She cleared her throat, “I have been forced to have sex before.”

“The King?”

Regina gave a shallow nod. “I— yes.” She met Emma’s eyes, “Please don’t tell your mother.”

“But…”

Regina shook her head, “Fathers are important to their daughters.” Emma started to speak again, but Regina continued, “That wasn’t the point I was trying to make though. I have been forced before. You— I have never felt so loved that night.”

“Loved?” Emma’s pronunciation of that one word had a question in each part of the syllable. She looked down, “I don’t… I don’t remember most of that night.”

Regina cupped Emma’s cheek, making Emma look up, “That’s unfortunate.” Regina, paused, a frown creasing her face, “And confusing.”

“Confusing?”

Regina let her hand drop, “That was not the Dark One. That was you, Emma. I’ve had enough encounters with Rumpel to know how those dark energies feel.”

Emma winced, “Does that mean that you—”

“No, no, no, no…” Emma and Regina’s gazes met and Regina cleared her throat, “Sorry, that may have been an overreaction. The encounters weren’t sexual.”

“So, why do you think that I can’t remember it, us?”

Regina was silent for a few moments, thinking. “Perhaps it didn’t want you to feel happiness.”

“Or it didn’t want me to feel love?” Emma stumbled backwards, Regina only barely catching her before she hit the floor. 

Regina brought Emma back to a standing position. “We could try to figure it out?” Regina pulled Emma closer slowly with a steady but easily escapable pressure. “I just broke up with Robin, it’s obviously too soon, and yet, I’ve wanted to do this since you showed up on my doorstep, returning my— our son.” Regina leaned in and kissed Emma. 

Where their first kiss had been a battle for dominance, this one was like a dance, each woman taking the lead. It was Emma who finally pulled back, “I’m sorry.”

Regina let her go and crossed her arms over her chest, “Did you want to kiss me?”

Emma gave a small nod, “Yes.”

“I wanted to kiss you too.”

“Since that first night?” Emma didn’t sound convinced.

Regina blushed just a bit, “You have to keep in mind that I had just spent the previous twenty eight years being kowtowed to by everyone except my son in this town. I had spent the previous twenty eight years with no one really challenging me, at least, not on an adult level. No one. And then that night, every single thing you said was a challenge.” Regina paused, “In the beginning you inflamed my angers. As we grew closer through HEnry the sight of you, the sound of your voice, even the tread of your steps inflamed me in an entirely more… pleasureable way. But, I never thought you would return my feelings.”

Emma frowned, “But you’re not gay.”

Regina tilted her head to one side, “Well, that’s good to know.”

“I just mean--”

“Louise Dechart. She was one of the cooks in Leopold’s kitchens. We were together after I got married but before Sidney. I am Regina, daughter of Cora and Henry. I’ve killed people, I’ve hurt people, I’ve done things so bad that I should probably spend the rest of my life in jail. Label me however you want to.”

Emma was silent for a long minute. Finally she spoke, “I— while I’m… aware. I need to take a walk. I need to think.” She started towards the door.

“Emma, wait.”

Emma turned back, “I release you of your promise, Regina. If— when something happens. When The Dark One takes me over completely. Use the dagger. Please. I trust you.” Emma grabbed her red leather jacket from the stand and slipped into it as she left the house.

Regina watched out the window until Emma disappeared at the end of the street.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I am aware that some of the timelines in this part don’t totally sync. But then again A+E screw with their own timelines all the time, so…

Lily and Maleficent sat across from one another at a table at one of the Maine rest areas. Since it was the middle of the night it was entirely empty. Their only companion was the sound of the few cars rushing by on the highway behind them. Lily stared into the trees, while Maleficent was throughly engrossed in Merlin’s notebook. “Anything interesting?”

Maleficent looked up, “It’s just…” She stood and walked around the table sitting down next to Lily. She opened the notebook to the last page. “Now, on the one hand, it seems like he hasn’t found an answer. That’s what the text says.” She ran her finger along the page as she translated, “Perhaps I have misjudged the situation. Perhaps there is no answer to what The Dark One is because it is a part of nature.”

She looked over at Lily, “I’ve been through the whole notebook three times now. More than once he states, with compelling arguments that The Dark One isn’t actually comprised of many dark spirits, but, one dark spirit that uses the other spirits as… food I guess, sort of…” 

Maleficent closed her eyes. Lily put a hand over her mother’s. “It’s okay Mom, you’ll figure it…”

Maleficent’s eyes flew open and Lily gasped as the world twisted in on itself.

oOOOOo

“…out.” Lily looked around, “What the hell?”

They were standing in a meadow with waving grass as far as the eyes could see. A man appeared out of nowhere. He was dark skinned, his black hair tinged here and there with gray, his eyes serious, and his manner seemed to scream royalty. “If you are seeing me, it means that I am dead. If you are someone seeking wisdom then I welcome you, if you were the one who killed me you will find no answers here.” He trailed off and looked from Lily to Maleficent.

He didn’t speak, and finally Lily chuckled. “That’s Merlin, right?” Maleficent nodded, “It’s a recording, or… something. I’m not here right now… leave a message at the beep. I think that the glare and the silence is the beep.”

Maleficent looked Merlin up and down, “He looks older than the last time I saw him.”

Lily shrugged, “In the real world on Earth the clock keeps ticking. We only ever get older. So, are we going to answer him? It?”

Maleficent stared at the man she’d known as Merlin, “At one point he taught me. Like I taught Regina… well, not quite like how I taught Regina.”

Lily glanced over at Maleficent, “Mom, you’re blushing.”

“I am not. I will answer him.”

Lily shook her head, “No, not yet. What do you mean that he taught you differently than how you taught Regina.”

“He, we didn’t… while I… with Regina—” Maleficent cleared her throat.

“Oh my God.” Lily looked around frantically. Finding a rock and hoping with all hope that it was real, she sat. It didn’t disappear and was quite uncomfortable. “It all just… you had sex with Regina.”

“Yes. I taught her…”

Lily held up a hand, “No, I don’t want to know. I really, really don’t want to know Mom.”

Maleficent frowned, “Why don’t you want to know, we’re both…” Maleficent trailed off, realizing what Lily was implying. “She can’t be your other parent Lily, she’s not able to turn into a Dragon.”

Lily stared up at the frozen Merlin, “Didn’t you say that you were stoned out of your head on diluted sleeping potion for years?”

“I, well…” She pointed at Lily, “Don’t do drugs Lily.”

Lily cracked a half a smile, “I think that ship has sailed. I’m just saying… you wouldn’t be the first dragon not to remember conceiving her child.”

“No, no, I think I would be. But… I mean…” She knelt down in front of Lily and took her hands. “If we get through this we can see if you’re right. I mean, there’s a way to do it in this world, right?”

“A DNA test might tell us, or maybe not.” Lily shook her head and stood, “Magic sucks.”

They both jumped as the Merlin answering machine spoke, “You have indicated that you did not kill me, and/or do not wish to use my life’s work to harm and destroy others. My library is your library.” He seemed to fade out of existence along with the meadow, and a library faded in. It seemed to go up and up forever. 

“Wow.” Maleficent put a hand to one of the books on a shelf she could reach and pulled it out slowly. “It’s not a book it’s a… disc, sort of.”

Lily spoke, “Play.”

Maleficent nearly dropped the disc as they suddenly weren’t in Merlin’s library anymore but in the middle of what once had been a lake. A voice came from everywhere. “I have looked throughly into the drought that is plaguing much of this United States of America. It does not seem as though there is any hand of magic in it.”

Lily spoke, “Stop.” The wind and everything around them froze. “Uh… eject?”

They were in the library again. Maleficent looked up, “This is… amazing. The information in this place.” She paused, then spoke, “The Dark One.”

The library didn’t do a cool little dance, or rearrange itself, instead another disc case appeared in Maleficent’s hand. She took a breath and glanced at Lily, “Are we ready for this?”

Lily shook her head, “Probably not. I mean, it’s not real right?”

Maleficent nodded, “Right. Okay.” She took a deep breath and let it out, “Play.”

oOOOOo

Neal felt silly. Really silly. He was a twenty-eight year old man, sneaking out of his parents apartment.

His first stop was Nyx’s. He stepped into the blacksmith shop and looked around. “Hey. Nyx?” He sighed. “Seriously. You bring me back and then disappear again.”

“I have horseshoes to make, they don’t make themselves.”

Neal put a hand to his chest and whirled around, “Where the hell did you come from?”

Nyx shook her head, “Well, like you I had a mother and a father. Although on occasion the question has come up who my father actually was. My guess is Hermes, Hephestus, or maybe Hades.”

“Why are you just… here? Everything is still falling apart, and…”

“I tried. We almost defeated her.”

Neal crossed his arms over his chest, and put himself between Nyx and her tools. “Why does she want to destroy Storybrooke?”

“Power.”

Neal frowned, “Being in charge?”

Nyx shook her head, “No. A more… primal power. The power that comes from destruction. The power that comes from pain, suffering, and eventually death. No, running for Mayor won’t appease her. The Dark One under her control, and Regina, Snow and any other people who get in her way dead. That’s her aim. She’s the Destroyer of Nations… and apparently now the Destroyer of Realms and Worlds too.”

“So, you just give up?”

Nyx grabbed Neal by the collar and pushed him up against the wall, “Give up. GIVE UP. I’ve been fighting that she-demon for two millennia. Not centuries, not multiple centuries, but for two fucking thousand years Neal. Don’t TELL me that I’m giving up. I’ve followed her around from world to world, realm to realm, by Myself.”

Neal held his hands away from his body. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry… I take it back.”

Nyx took a step back, letting go of Neal. “No. I apologize. I haven’t gotten that angry in… centuries.” She closed her eyes. After a moment she opened them. Neal was still staring at her. “What?”

“Tell me what to do.”

Nyx opened her mouth to say something, then seemed to be rocked backwards. She put a hand to her back and stumbled forward. Neal caught her before she hit the wall, but she pushed him away. 

“Go Home.”

Neal frowned, “What?”

“Go, go NOW!” Neal took off at a run for the mansion.

oOOOOo

The same resonant and commanding voice as before came from the sky as Lily and Maleficent stood on what seemed like a dirt road in the forest. “I’ve devoted a good portion of my life to finding the answer to a simple question. Who or what is The Dark One? I believe I have finally found the answer.”

The landscape changed to a house that seemed to have been grown out of the forest. A short blonde woman exited the house followed closely by a taller and younger looking brunette. “You can’t do that Gabrielle, he’s Loki, you have to know that it’s a trap, or a trick.”

Gabrielle turned on the brunette, poking a finger at her, “Of course he’s not on the level, but he has a golden apple and I need it.”

“You don’t need it, you want it… you need to move on.”

Gabrielle seemed to retreat into herself, answering in a softer voice, “Move on? I can’t Eve. You know I can’t. I’m empty, I’m…”

Eve cut Gabrielle off, putting a hand on the shorter woman’s shoulder, “You haven’t let yourself live since she died Gabrielle. You need to join the world again. The Amazons are worried, or you could go north, or east, or west even. See what’s beyond the farthest anyone has been. Just… stop…”

Gabrielle wrapped her arms around herself, “Stop what? Caring? Feeling? I love her, I miss her, and… I still don’t think she’s dead. It doesn’t feel like she’s dead.”

Eve sighed, “Look Gabrielle. She’s my mother. I would love it if she miraculously walked out of those trees announcing that she was back. But, she’s not coming back, ever. Please, don’t do this.”

The landscape changed again and Maleficent muttered, “I don’t think that she took Eve’s suggestion.” They were up in a mountain, snow everywhere, a bundled Gabrielle waiting and shivering.

Lily and Maleficent didn’t have to wait too long for something to happen. There was a burst of light and a man with white blonde hair, wearing green pants and a shirt of weird looking armor, appeared in front of the blonde, and apple in his hand. “You come seeking a golden apple, we do not simply give them to mortals. What have you done to earn it?”

Gabrielle raised an eyebrow, “Saved the world, repeatedly. I deserve to eat from it more than you did Loki.”

Loki performed a half a bow, “And yet, here you are, and here I am. Anyone can save the world.”

Gabrielle reached to her side and when her hand came back up it had Xena’s Chakram in it. She took a step towards Loki, “Do you know what this is?”

Loki took a step back, “I had heard that you were the one who talked, not fought.”

“I am tired, and hungry, and it’s as cold up here as the lowest levels of Tartarus.” Loki opened his mouth, but Gabrielle didn’t let him speak. “You want to know how I know that? I went down there to visit Thanatos. He did not give me what I seek.” She held up the Chakram. “I killed him.” She pushed down the hood on her coat, “So, Loki, will you give me what I want?”

Loki looked between the apple in his hand and Gabrielle. His lips moved but he didn’t speak out loud for a few minutes, then finally he nodded, and looked up at Gabrielle. “I will.” He held out the apple, “Simply take a bite and you will live forever.”

Gabrielle took the apple, staring at Loki, “There are no tricks?”

“Bite the apple and you will never die, I give you my word.”

Gabrielle looked up into the bright blue sky for a long time. She was so tired. So lonely. So lost. Finally she nodded to herself and stared at Loki for one more beat before she bit into the golden apple.

A laugh bubbled from Loki, then another, and another. Gabrielle shuddered and looked down. She was disappearing. Turning into a swirl of black tendrils. “What did you…”

Loki smiled, “I am Loki, and you will live forever…” He tilted his head to one side, “If you can find someone to bind to…” He laughed again and disappeared.

oOOOOo

Regina didn’t see the first blow coming. It was inelegant and rushed, but it worked. She slammed into the stove handle and tumbled to the ground. She managed to twist herself around fast enough that she did catch a leg before it could kick her side and she yanked with all her strength.

Her attacker was surprised enough that she fell with a thud to the floor. It was Tali, Alti, whatever her name was.

Both women sprang to their feet. Alti went for Regina’s throat, but only got a touch in before she was blown backwards through one of the walls and into the entry way.

The fight continued in the foyer. Back and forth, Alti getting in some hits, drawing blood, and Regina barely holding her own, while they destroyed the mansion.

Neither spoke, all their concentration entirely on the fight and not getting killed.

Regina’s problem was that she was tired. It had been a long eight months fighting and cleaning up after Emma. And so she didn’t even see the end of the fight coming. It ended as quickly as it started. Alti pretended to grab for Regina’s neck again, but, it was a feint. Instead she knocked Regina to the ground and put a knee on her chest.

Alti laughed and spoke in her gravelly voice. “Your love, your town, this world, is mine. You have already lost.” She laughed as she yanked The Dark One’s dagger from its sheath. She reversed it in her fist, slammed the hilt into Regina’s nose, and was out the door in three steps.

Regina lay on the floor staring up at the ceiling. One of her own blasts seemed to have missed Alti. There was a massive hole in both the ceiling and the roof through which she could see the sky.

She heard pounding steps both outside and on the stairs. She tensed but didn’t try and defend herself or sit up. She simply closed her eyes and waited. Neal flew into the mansion and slid to the ground next to her, “Mama—” He put a hand on her cheek, and used his other to shake her shoulder. “Say something.”

Zelena appeared next, and got down on one knee, “Regina, what happened?”

“Alti has the dagger.” She paused, “Help me sit up.”

“No, you’re bleeding and you could be hurt worse or—”

Regina started to sit up on her own. Neal put one arm around her, Zelena did as well, and they both helped her sit. “There’s no time. It’s starting. Call David, Snow, Ruby, Granny, everyone, anyone. Alti has control of The Dark One, who knows what she’ll do next.”

Before anyone could move Zelena gripped her middle with both hands, “Oh… Ohhh….”

Regina stood, only a little wobbly. Neal tried to as well, but Regina put a hand on his shoulder. “No. Stay here with her. Help her have him.”

“No Ma— Regina— Alti will kill you.”

Regina went to the umbrella holder and pulled out a sword and scabbard. “I’m not easy to kill. And Zelena’s son is more important.”

“More im…” Zelena groaned through another shot of pain, “How? I didn’t tell you… How did you know?”

Regina finished strapping on the scabbard to her waist, “…that your son will be The Apprentice? The adult one looks much like Robin, with just a hint of strawberry red in his complexion as well.” She met Neal’s eyes, “This is important Neal. Just as important as stopping Alti and the Dark One.”

Neal nodded, “Okay. But, the second…”

Regina yanked open the front door of the mansion, wincing only a little at the sudden movement, “The second that she has him, yes, cut off the leather bracelet, and if you have to. Join the fight.”

Neal stood, “Wait, let me get Nyx—”

Regina shook her head. “No. Stay with Zelena. I think Nyx will be able to figure out there’s a fight on on very fast unless she’s an idiot.”

oOOOOo

The library faded back into existence around Lily and Maleficent. “So… this Gabrielle she is the Dark One. She wanted to live forever because her love died? And then was tricked by Loki.” Lily paused, “He’s cuter in the movies.”

“Movies?”

Lily shook her head, “Never mind.”

Maleficent looked up to where the bookshelves seemed to disappear into the distance. “We should go back to the world, get back to Storybrooke. Maybe this will help us defeat The Dark One.” Maleficent held her hand out. When Lily didn’t move Maleficent grasped her daughter’s hand and placed it on top of hers. In the same way that it had been in the real world.

The library disappeared, and Lily jerked to a fully sitting position, and stared up at the sky, “It’s nearly dawn… time passed while we were in there?”

“I guess so. We should get going.”

Lily stood and stretched, then pulled her phone out of her pocket, “First though…” She held her phone to the heavens, moving this way and that, and then froze and slowly brought it down to typing level. The bar stayed put, “Okay. So, I know that I’ve heard that name before, but I can’t remember where. So…” She got to her browser and entered ‘Gabrielle’.

Maleficent looked over her shoulder, “75.6 million responses.”

“Results, okay. It’s not an album or a singer. First and third results gone. An IMDB result, hmm…” She opened it. Then shook her head, “No. So…” She opened the Wikipedia page.

Maleficent reared back just a little, then pointed at the small picture on the right side of the page. “That’s her, almost. Except that she has longer hair in the picture and is carrying a stick instead of sais.”

Lily skimmed the entry. “She’s a fictional character, so, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities that she could be The Dark One. Awww sh… crap.”

Maleficent’s shoulders shook with laughter, “Let’s go, and in the future, feel free to swear in front of me. I’ve heard it or said it all. If you’d like I could probably teach you some new ones as well.”

Lily looked sheepish, “Sorry, I just… you’re my Mom, but not my Mom. It’s still confusing. What’s not confusing and why I swore was that I’ve entirely lost my signal. Are you okay to drive again? I’ll keep trying Ruby to have her let us into the town.”

“Let’s go. The sooner this whole thing is over with, the sooner life can go back to…”

Lily interrupted Maleficent, “Normal?”

“Oh, do be silent daughter of mine.”

Lily laughed.


	17. Chapter 17

Emma stood, staring up at the Mills’ mausoleum.

“I never thought that it would be a simple dagger with a name on it that would grant me all the realms on all the worlds in all the universes.”

Emma whirled towards the raspy voice and threw her hands up. “Tali?”

Alti rolled her eyes, “No little one, my name is Alti, Destroyer of Nations and now Destroyer of Worlds.” She held up the dagger, “On your knees.”

Emma tried to resist, but the pull of the dagger was stronger than the Savior part of her. She sank to the ground, her knees hitting the grass with a thump. Alti cackled. “Oh, we’re going to have fun. Oh so much fun.” She took a dramatic breath in, “Bring me the citizens of Storybrooke.”

oOOOOo

“Where is Ruby? Has she written back? Will she be there?”

“It’s texted back, and yes, she’s on her way, but she just got a call from Neal?” Lily brought her phone closer to her face, as if that could make what she was reading easier to comprehend. “Does she mean Little Neal? I didn’t think he could talk yet. She got a call that Alti has the dagger.”

“Alti?”

Lily shrugged, “Maybe she meant Tali and it auto-corrected? Okay. She’s…” A slight smile came to Lily’s face, “…tied the spell around her neck and she’s about to turn. She’ll be there when we get there.”

oOOOOo

“Push… I think. Does it feel like you should push? Push Aunt Zelena.”

A laugh came from Zelena, followed by a sound that was uncategorizable. “I can’t do this, I can’t do this… I need… I…”

Neal swallowed as Zelena bore down. He could have sworn that he heard a bone snap. “You’ll be okay, you’re okay. Just keep, doing what you think you should do.”

Zelena slapped away Neal’s hand. “Not helping. You’re not helping you knat. You’re not even supposed to be here, and calling her Mama is weird, and… ahhhh…”

Neal turned as the front door opened, putting an arm over Zelena, “Whoever you are I… don’t…” Neal blinked in surprise as the man came through door. “Apprentice?”

He looked down at Zelena, then to Neal. “May I… have a moment?”

Neal looked between Zelena and the Apprentice. Then nodded, “I’m going to be in the kitchen, if you do…”

The Apprentice inclined his head, “She’s my mother, she’s… having me. I simply want to say goodbye before my time is up. I won’t hurt her. Go outside. Wait for Doctor Whale.”

Neal stared at the older man for quite awhile, then nodded and went outside. Zelena groaned and held a hand out. “You… you had a good life? With Regina, and Robin and…”

The Apprentice kissed the back of Zelena’s hand. “No. Not with them. With you.” He smiled, “You have always fought for me. Will always fight for me. You’re an amazing mother.”

Zelena put a hand to the Apprentice’s cheek, “I don’t approve of the beard, but, I love you TJ. I— will love you Talib Jesse.”

Zelena let out a scream of pain and Neal exploded through the door to only the red head on the floor. “What happened, where is he?”

“He’s coming, he’s coming…”

Neal fell to his knees, “Oh my God, I see his hair… he’s a red head like you Aunt Zelena.”

oOOOOo

Henry was the first to his mother. “Mom,” he put a hand to Regina’s face, “What happened? Who did…”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m fine, Alti is…”

A laugh that chilled Regina, Snow, Henry, and David came from down the street. “Here.”

Alti marched down the street. The dagger in her hand, the Dark One next to her, and the a good portion of the town marching behind her.

Grumpy and the dwarves ran up to Regina and her side, all breathing hard, “They… she made them an offer. An offer of peace, all they had to do was follow her instead of you all. They… most took it.”

Regina glanced back. He was right. Granny, the dwarves, Archie, and a few others stood there. It seemed that everyone else in town marched behind Alti.

A throat cleared just behind Archie. Regina went still, “Robin… and his Merry Men.”

A voice spoke from the back of the group of men and women, “Merry people.” A guilty laugh traveled through everyone. 

Robin held up his sword, “Our swords and bows are at your command.”

Regina stared at Robin. She didn’t speak, just nodded, turned, and took a step forward. She squared her shoulders and brought her hands up.

oOOOOo 

Maleficent turned away as Ruby got into the backseat. “You didn’t bring clothes with you?”

Ruby shook her head, “Go, go…”

“What? What’s going on?”

oOOOOo

Regina threw out her hands, knocking over all the townspeople behind Alti. A deathly smirk came to Alti’s lips. “I don’t have all my powers back yet. Still, I can do that too…” She held up the dagger and spoke, “Throw them back.”

The Dark One looked from Emma’s eyes, a smile with no warmth coming to her lips, “With pleasure…” She whipped out her hands and everyone but Regina flew backwards. 

Alti spoke again, “Kill Regina.”

The Dark One didn’t pause and a fireball was out of her hand a mere second after Alti spoke. Regina brushed it to the side and threw a hand behind her. A shield appeared in front of Snow, David, and everyone else, and just in time as The Dark One got closer and closer, throwing fireball after fireball at Regina. “You will die. They will die.”

Regina kept deflecting them, all her concentration on defensive spells. “Fight ME. Fight Me!”

“No. Fight it Miss Swan. That’s an order. You are still the Sheriff until a new election, and I am the Mayor. Fight it Emma, fight it Damnit.”

The Dark One laughed and the brightest orange fireball of the day appeared in her hand. “You cannot fathom how much your words don’t matter to me.”

Regina smirked, “They do to her. She’s fighting. She fought through what I caused her to go through, as a kid and when she brought back Henry. She fought through learning magic, losing that magic, she will win.”

The Dark One leaned forward and whispered into Regina’s ear, “Not before she watches while I burn you alive.”

Ruby practically flew through the air. Appearing from out of nowhere in wolf form, knocked The Dark One to the ground, and turned back into human form while rolling across Main Street.

Alti shook her head, “I have to do everything myself.” Alti ran at Regina, her speed making her a blur that came to a sudden stop when it hit Regina.

Regina bounced off the sheild that she’d put up and flopped to the ground. Alti knelt down next to the dark haired woman and grasped Regina’s throat, “Time to end you again Xena. Time to feel the torment of your thousand lifetimes… time for me to take back my power.”

Regina choked out a laugh, “Not— Xena—”

oOOOOo

Neal sprinted down the center of the street. He hadn’t run anywhere as fast since he’d been on Storybrooke High’s track team. He was out of breath by the time he got to the Blacksmith’s. “Nyx. God damnit Nyx. They need you… we need you.”

Nyx came out from the back of her shop. “I told you. I’m done.”

Neal grabbed Nyx’s collar with one hand and slammed her against the wall with all his strength. “My Mama would have me over her knee for treating a lady like this, but…” With his other hand he slapped her.

Nyx responded by throwing him all the way across the room. He hit the wall with a yell of pain and slumped down. “I’ve won, and won, and won, and she always comes back. I’ve chased her around like a dog after a tennis ball. Maybe…” Nyx rubbed at her cheek, “maybe if she gets this world, she’ll stop.”

Neal pushed himself up the wall until he was standing. “You’re an idiot. You ripped me from my life, a fucking good life to come and save this worthless world, and now you give up. I’ll figure out how to save my sister and Regina by myself, and to hell with you Nyx.”

He stumbled out the door and took off at a sprint.

Nyx rubbed at her cheek again and stared at her sword and the other weapons on the wall. “I’ve been in hell for two thousand years.”

oOOOOo

Alti frowned, her fingers digging farther into Regina’s neck. “How…” She stumbled backwards, letting go.

Regina got to her feet and held out a hand. A silver circle with a sharp edge and a handle in the middle appeared in it. “What the…”

She had no time to figure out why as Alti came running at her with a sword in her hand. Regina parried with her weird round killing weapon, summoned a fireball with her free hand, and shot it at Alti.

oOOOOo

It was a sort of popping sound that made Nyx look up at her wall of weapons. A purple mist still hung in the air for a moment before it too disappeared. “My Chakram.” She blew out a breath and looked up at the sky. “Is it you Gabby, are you telling me to get off my ass and save these people?”

She stood, grabbed her sword from the wall, and with one last look around jogged out the door.

oOOOOo

Regina had lost the round weapon, and Alti had lost her sword but still had a hold of the dagger. The shield had fallen too, and Storybrooke citizens on both sides fought with varying degrees of passion. The magic being used was astounding. Alti speeding away from blows, Regina poofing so much that there was simply a haze of purple smoke hanging above their fight. Fists and blood flying all over Main Street.

Neither woman could get quite close enough to the other to do deadly damage. Regina couldn’t get close enough to yank out Alti’s heart, and Alti couldn’t get close enough to grasp Regina’s throat and make her relive all her pain. Despite the carnage they were at a virtual standstill.

Of all the people fighting it was Grumpy who helped Regina get the upper hand. He had shed the man he was fighting and came running at Alti screaming at the top of his lungs, his axe raised and seemingly ready to imbed itself into her forehead.

It distracted Alti for only a split second, but in that second Regina grabbed the Dagger with one hand and plunged her other hand into Alti’s chest. Alti sucked in a breath at the pain and everything in the street stopped. The fighting, the yelling, everyone fell so quiet that they could all hear the rasping of Alti’s breath.

Regina pulled Alti’s heart out of her chest and squeezed it. Alti’s eyes buldged, “What are you doing? How are you… I am the Destroyer of Worlds, I cannot be stopped.”

Regina glanced over at Emma, whose eyes had no blackness in them, then shrugged and looked back to Alti. “I just did bitch.” She squeezed the heart to dust, letting it trickle through her fingers. She wiped the hand on her pants, then wrapped it around the blade part of the Dark One’s dagger. 

Before anyone could move she magically energized the dagger and snapped it in two. “NO!” Emma dove for Regina at the same time that the darkness came swirling out from the destroyed dagger. Both women were enveloped by the angry tendrils of darkness.

“You’re an idiot.”

Regina bit back, “And you’re ungrateful. Go, step away, it will take me, I’m prepared for it to take me. You’re nothing but trouble for it, I’m a much better meal.”

“No.”

“No?”

Emma kept one hand around Regina’s waist and used the other to take a hold of her chin. “Just so you know, there is no Dark One in me at the moment. I can feel only the light.”

“Why does that…”

Emma leaned in and cut Regina off with a kiss. It wasn’t as unexpected as their first, or as passionate as their second, but it did manage to make all their loved ones outside of the swirling mass pause in their panic.

It was Regina who pulled away, a question in her eyes, “Just in case we die?”

Emma shook her head as much as she could in their close quarters. “A promise for when we live. I love you Regina. I didn’t realize it soon enough, but when we get out of here we’re going to talk because I think—” She met Regina’s gaze and didn’t look away, “I think that you feel the same way.”

Neal appeared, and David just managed to stop him before he got physically repelled by the Dark One’s energy, though he kept fighting to get to Regina and Emma. “No, Alti’s dead, they won. We won, we WON! Mama… Emma…”

Nyx jogged up to the gathering of Storybrooke citizens. “Is that?” She knelt down next to Alti with a frown, “She’s dead, and she didn’t disappear.”

Neal pulled Nyx to her feet. “Neal, what…”

“Do something. Do SOMETHING!” He pointed to the Dark One’s energy that was causing Emma and Regina to huddle closer and closer together.

Nyx frowned, “Do what, it’s the Dark One, it’s a swirling black mass of evil.”

Maleficent spoke up, “It’s not evil, it’s a woman. A woman who, according to Merlin, simply wanted to live long enough to see her love again.”

Nyx turned her head and stared at Maleficent. “A woman?”

“Gabrielle.”

Nyx went deathly still, her sword clattered to the ground next to her. “Gabrielle of Potedia? My Gabrielle?”

“We’re wasting time.” Neal shook his head and put a hand on the middle of Nyx’s back, “Think. Think for a second. You, your powers, who you are right now, you were re-created with light... so maybe the universe…”

Nyx cut Neal off. “If you’re wrong…”

Neal poked Nyx in the chest, “I trusted you when you dragged me away from my family, from… everyone that I’ve ever known. THIS is why… so just…”

Nyx held her hands up and then turned. She approached Regina, Emma, and the swirling darkness.

Snow put a hand on Neal’s shoulder. “What… what is she going to do? She has no dagger, we no longer have the dagger. How can a Blacksmith control The Dark One?”

Neal looked over at Snow for a long moment, then put an arm around his mother, “Aside from… how does she put it… having many skills. She has a true love that even trumps yours and Dad’s…”

Regina met Nyx’s gaze, “Don’t. Emma’s going to leave, and… I’m okay…”

Nyx rolled her eyes as she approached the roiling darkness. “Yeah, I’ve used that one in my day too. Taking one for the team. Dying for the one I love. I-- Neal thinks that you don’t have to, so… yeah.” She breathed out and put her hand up, then she seemed to realize something and laughed. That caused both Regina and Emma to frown, “Sorry. Bit of deja vu, though in that case it was eternal fire.” Nyx brought her hand up to the dark tendrils. At first they retreated from it, but, after a second the darkness wrapped her hand, and then her arm.

Emma looked horrified. “She doesn’t… it’s going to kill her.”

Regina blinked a few times and shook his head, “I-- I don’t think it is going to Emma.”

And then the dark tendrils started to turn to smoke, a smoke that got lighter and lighter and then disappeared, and a naked blonde materialized from the smoke. She stumbled forward and with practiced ease Nyx caught her, cradling her between her arms. A half sob half laugh escaped from Nyx, “Gabrielle?”

The blonde blinked up, “Xena? It worked?”

Xena glanced around, “After a fashion.”

“Emma, you can let go.”

Emma still held Regina in a death grip, “No, never again. I told you… 

“Yes, but Henry’s going to…”

Henry crashed into both of them, sending both the women as well as himself to the ground in a pile. “Mom and Mom… you did it. You’re not the Dark One, or dead, or…” He kissed both their cheeks and rolled off of them.

Emma put her fingers against Regina’s nose where it was misshapen and still slightly oozing blood, “Are you okay?”

“We saved the day…”

“You did.”

Regina pulled away from Emma and got to her feet. She held a hand back down to Emma and hauled the blonde up. “What else could I do? I need to go check on my sister and her child.”

“Wait…”

Emma word was too late as Regina somehow had enough magic left to disappear in a poof of purple smoke.

Henry frowned, “Mom?”

Emma sighed and threw an arm over her son’s shoulders, “She’s…”

Henry finished Emma’s thought, “Scared of commitment because, well, last time she committed to someone he cheated on her, and the time before that she had no choice, and the very first time her love was killed in front of her eyes by her mother?”

Emma shook her head, “You are too mature for your age Henry.”

Henry looked up at Emma, “But, you’ll go after her? I mean, in… inside the swirling Dark One stuff you kissed her and she kissed you back?”

“I’m going to give her some time. But yeah, yeah, I will.”

“Promise.”

“Kid…” Emma sighed.

Henry shook his head, “No. Promise me Mom.”

“I promise.”


	18. Chapter 18

“I’m not going to disappear X— I promise. You can let go.”

Xena shook her head, “No, never again.” Xena rested her chin on top of Gabrielle’s head. “You shouldn’t have done that… whatever lengths you went to…”

Gabrielle looked up at Xena, “Really?”

Xena sighed, “I know. Pot calling the kettle black. I thought it was the only way to save those people, to give those people peace.”

Gabrielle pursed her lips, “Did it work?”

“No.” Xena shook her head, “I was set adrift in space and time when I tried to leave you alone. So, never again.”

“You haven’t asked the question.”

Xena still put off asking the question that they were both dancing around, “Does it really matter how you came to be The Dark One and in this time?”

“It was Loki. He had a Golden Apple, I took it, ate it. And because I was so intent on living until I found you, I forgot that the gods always lie, no matter if they’re Greek, Roman, Egyptian, or Norse. It turned me into that. Somewhere along the way Merlin chained me to that dagger. And the whole time I was the Dark One I got angrier and angrier. At you, at the world, at the people who had love right in front of them and traded it all for me, for dark power instead of love.” She sighed and turned her head into Xena’s chest, “I’m sorry.”

Xena was still for awhile, “You’re here. I’m here. For today that’s what I’m focusing on. Tomorrow can be the day we figure out the rest.”

Gabrielle stood on her toes and kissed Xena. “I love you, you know that right? I never stopped loving you. Even as I hated more and more and more, there was one little part of me that loved. Loved you.”

Xena closed her eyes for a moment, “I love you too Gabrielle.”

They both fell silent, watching as people talked, milled around, and generally got the energy that had been pent up during the fight out of their system.

Gabrielle broke the silence with a question, pointing at one specific group of people. “So, are these your new Amazons?”

Xena glanced over her shoulder. Emma stood in the center one arm around Henry, the other around Ruby. Lily stood next to Ruby, and Maleficent next to Lily. On Emma’s other side stood Snow, Granny, and David. “I think they might be. They destroyed Alti without my help, and then they saved you.”

Gabrielle tangled her fingers with Xena’s. “I think that you mostly did that, and Alti will be back, Alti always comes back.”

“She won’t be. All the other times I’ve fought Alti since I…”

“Died?”

Xena nodded, “All the other times I’ve fought Alti when I finally killed her, or she killed me we both disolved into a scattering of sparks and disappeared. This time, though, Alti is still over there on the ground. Regina… the one that disappeared in a poof of smoke, I think that she killed Alti for good.”

A throat cleared and both women looked over. “Ah, Granny.”

She held a pair of shorts and a t-shirt towards Gabrielle. “They’ll probably be too big for you since my granddaughter is more,” she glanced at Xena, “her size than yours. But, she also seems to constantly turning up naked so I’m always prepared.”

Gabrielle laughed and took the clothes, “Thank you… Granny was it?” Granny nodded. “I’m Gabrielle, and, I would like to apologize.”

Granny glanced around, “I think that you’ll find that the town of Storybrooke is a surprisingly forgiving place if you truly have changed.”

Granny left the two women alone again. 

Only a minute or so later Ruby and Lily, their arms around each other, strolled over to Xena and Gabrielle. Ruby spoke first, “We’re all heading over to the Mayor’s Mansion. To see if Zelena’s kid is green…” Ruby got an elbow in the gut for that, “…hey… You’re welcome to come.”

Gabrielle frowned, “Shouldn’t we find…” Gabrielle seemed to be reaching back into her memories, “…Regina first?”

Ruby shrugged, “Emma and Henry seem to think not. And they’re our resident Regina whisperers. C’mon, it’ll be a blast. After that we’re going to set up a bunch of tables, tents, and grills. I think there’s going to be a ‘we survived another big bad trying to kill us’ grill-a-palooza party.

“Gab?”

Gabrielle gestured towards the end of the street, “Lead the way. I’m feeling… alive for the first time in many, many years.”

oOOOOo

“Hey.”

Regina looked up. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been sitting on Henry’s ‘Castle’ and staring out at nothing in particular. Emma sat down next to her and put a sandwich wrapped in plastic in her hand. She raised an eyebrow, “Really? Grilled cheese?”

Emma wiggled her eyebrows, “And more… but first you have to say it. I like Root Beer. Say it… sayyy it…” Emma smirked as Regina shot daggers at her. “I won’t hand over the Beer that is Root until you say it.”

Regina sighed, “Fine. I like Root Beer.”

“There, was that so hard?”

“Yes.” Regina paused, “You can take it back at any time. I’m not going to hold you to anything that was said while we were about to die.”

Emma took a drink of her root beer and a bite of her sandwich before she spoke. “What if I want you to hold me to what I said inside the swirling mass of darkness?”

Regina shook her head, “That you love me.”

Emma squared her shoulders and turned towards Regina, “If you have no feelings past friendship for me, tell me. I’ll back off, I’ll love Henry, be friends with you. I’ll be the best friend you’ve ever had. I’ll even try not to strangle your sister too often.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

Regina sighed, “I— We don’t even know each other Emma, not really.”

Emma held up her almost empty bottle of root beer, “How many people in this town know that you’re a sucker for root beer and a grilled cheese sandwich, preferably at the same meal.” She finished off her root beer and the sandwich. “I made these myself you know. Oh— also, I think that David and Snow took your grill. They were dragging as many as they could into the streets all over town, putting up tents. I guess they were having a ‘we didn’t die and pretty much everyone survived with minimal injuries other than Alti’ party. Ah, and then Neal said something about everyone should raid their attics for instruments?”

Regina hadn’t changed how she sat since Emma had handed her the bottle and sandwich. “C’mon. Use multiple clauses in a sentence, call me an idiot for getting used by Alti, for putting our son in danger. I’m not good at guessing games Regina, never have been. Give me something. Please.”

Emma went silent and even as the silence stretched and stretched Regina didn’t speak. After a few minutes Emma scooted a bit closer to Regina and put an arm around her.

The only response Emma got was a shuddered breath. Regina didn’t move away either. She seemed rooted to that one spot.

It was about ten minutes later that Regina spoke, “I’m not good at love.”

“Bullshit.”

That got Regina to look over at the blonde, “What?”

Before Emma could respond there was an explosion of lighting, a crash of thunder, and the skies opened up. Emma laughed, “It’s thundering and raining in the middle of the winter,” and started to jump down. Regina put a hand on the blonde’s arm, “No, stay, if I don’t say all this here— now— I don’t think I will.”

Emma gestured towards the sky, “We’re going to be soaked and cold and…”

“I can’t give you what you want Emma.”

Emma frowned, “And what do you think I want Regina?”

“A family. Children.”

Emma changed position again. Turning entirely towards Regina and crossing her legs in front of her. “To your first point about not being good at love. That’s an excuse and you know it. And your second point. Yeah, maybe I want more family— or maybe I don’t, maybe I’m happy that we have Henry. I don’t know. Isn’t it enough right now, right this second, that we’ve found each other?”

“I can’t have children.”

Regina’s words were so laced with sadness that Emma didn’t think, she leaned forward and grasped Regina’s hands. “So— we don’t even know if we’ll make it, or if we’ll wind up killing each other. If we do last, then we adopt, or you bribe me with lots and lots of your cooking to have your magic baby.”

Regina looked up, rain dripping from her forehead, confused, “There’s no such thing as a magic baby.”

“Aw— really?” Regina nodded. Emma uncrossed her legs and pulled Regina closer until she could wrap her arms around Regina. “There’s no harm in trying though, right?”

That pulled a smile from Regina, “You’re right. You are. Why am I jumping from three kisses to marriage and kids? I haven’t even said that I love you back.”

Emma went still, “Oh, I— do you?”

Regina slowly nodded, “I think I do. You’re beautiful, and funny, and such a pain in the ass. You challenge me every day, and you’re always there for me. I’ve never… no one has always been there for me and not wanted something in return.”

Emma smirked, “Morley was always pretty bad at the ‘in return’ part.”

Regina frowned, “Morley?”

“You have Louise, I have Morley.”

Regina stared at Emma, “Her name was Morley?”

“Mmhmm. I’d take her to at least a High B flat, and then in return I’d be taken to about one C below the middle C.”

Regina blinked a few times, trying to decipher Emma’s sentence, “You do realize that you can say the words sex, orgasm, and so on. We’re both adults.”

Emma made a pfft noise, “Where’s the fun in that?”

Regina rolled her eyes.

Emma raised her face towards the rain, “I think that the whole, ‘married and kids first’ thing is just this town— this world we live in. People in a fairy tale world don’t simply live together, get to know each other, and raise a son. They’re all true loves, or tragic loves. True loves get married and live happily ever after. Tragic loves die…” Emma rested her forehead against Regina’s, the rain poured down around them. “I think we should go for somewhere in between those two extremes. No pixie dust, no true loves kiss, just you as the Mayor, me the Sheriff. Living together, raising Henry,” she smirked, “Having sex and orgasms, see I can say the words.” Her face went serious, “And I hope you know that the raising Henry part will also involve me doing thorough background checks on each and every girl he tries to date.”

“Only the girls?” Regina raised an eyebrow.

Emma frowned for a moment, then understanding dawned, “Oh, if there are boys they’ll get checked too.”

“So, just love. Not true love, not soulmates.”

Emma kissed Regina, “Two people letting their lives become hopelessly entwined.”

Regina’s eyes twinkled, “You’re a romantic.”

Emma stood up and pulled Regina up as well, steading herself on one of the ‘castle walls’. Emma yanked Regina close, “Me Tarzan, you Jane. We get wet together?” Regina laughed, “Is that better.”

“You have a dirty mind Emma Swan.”

Emma smiled, “I sure hope so.”

“We should probably go back, Henry will be worried.” Regina shivered, “Oh, what do we…”

“…tell Henry?” Emma jumped down from the ‘castle’ and held her hands up. She caught Regina and guided her to the ground. “I think that he’ll know when we walk in the door of the mansion.” She threaded her arm through Regina’s. “Is it okay that he’ll know already?”

Regina nodded, “I’m actually more worried about your mother.”

Emma made a face, “Right. Her. We’ve faced worse than that, right?”

Regina chuckled.

oOOOOo

“You don’t get to touch my son. EVER…” Zelena could only barely be heard above TJ’s howling.

Snow narrowed her eyes at Zelena as Robin got in between the two women, “Ladies, ladies—”

They both shot him a look, “Shut up Robin.”

Robin took a step back and sighed, mumbling, “I was going to offer to hold him. See if it would stop the crying.”

Clorinda patted him on the arm, “She won’t keep you away from TJ, the Merry Men and I all agree on that.”

Robin was nearly knocked over as Roland collided with his legs. “Rain, rain, rain, Daddy, I’m wet. You’re it.”

He dashed back into the rain. Robin shook his head and Clorinda laughed, “Tag me.”

Robin frowned, “What?”

“You’re it— and since you’re here worrying over your new son— tag me.” Robin still looked confusedly at Clorinda, who finally rolled her eyes, “Fine, I’ll tag you.” She gave him a peck on the lips. Then ran out from under the tent and after Roland and his friends. “I’ve been tagged… I’m it, I’m it.” A chorus of young screams followed by laughter echoed along the street.

Robin went back over to where Zelena, Snow, and a crying TJ were still in a standoff. “May I try?” Zelena looked unsure. “I am his father.”

Zelena sighed and carefully handed the newborn to Robin. It didn’t help. TJ kept crying.

Everyone jumped a little as Regina and Emma appeared. Without a word Regina took TJ from Robin’s arms. The silence was nearly instantaneous. TJ’s wailing seemed to stop as if by magic.

That was Zelena’s first question, “What did you do? What spell did you use? I fed him, burped him, cleaned him, changed him and still…”

Regina smiled then turned to Snow, “Shouldn’t you be supervising Charming’s grilling?” She turned to Robin, “And I thought I saw your girlfriend getting trounced in a game of tag with your son.” Robin stared at TJ. “He’ll be here when you get back.”

Both Snow and Robin didn’t leave right away, but after both stood there for another moment, they chose to leave the sisters and Emma alone with TJ.

Once they’d left Regina drew a finger along his tiny little hand and softly booped his nose. “He looks like our mother.” Regina shook her head in amazement, “And the fact that that doesn’t fill me with dread is a miracle.” She met her sister’s gaze, “I’m going to hand him back to you. You’ve done all the hard parts, feeding, clothing, cleaning, and caring. Now let yourself love him. Don’t worry about if he got your green skin problem, or our family’s need for total control. Just— love him from the tip of his nose to the ends of his toes.”

Emma made a half choking sound and both sisters looked at her. “No— I’m… I got something in my eye.”

“I have to hug my— Emma— so here he is.”

Zelena took him, breathing shallowly and slowly. He didn’t utter a peep and actually snuggled into Zelena’s chest with a cute little sigh. Zelena looked a bit gob-smacked. “That— that was magic.”

A voice spoke from just outside the tent, “A very wise young woman once told me that true love is magic, and that it’s not just any magic, but the most powerful magic of all.”

Snow and Regina’s eyes met for a moment. Zelena watched TJ’s chest rise and fall, “True love?” She nodded to herself, “True love.”

Henry skidded to a halt by Regina and Emma. He grabbed both of their hands in his own, “C’mon— c’mon. You’ve gotta see this.” He pulled them out of the tent. It had stopped raining. He kept pulling until they were at the boardwalk. “It’s so cool… Look up.”

They and everyone who had followed the three of them stared up into the sky. A rainbow had appeared following the winter rain. A triple rainbow. Henry put an arm over both his Moms’ shoulders. “I think it’s a sign. A good sign.”

Emma reached across Henry’s back and pulled Regina closer. “I think that we’re done with signs kid. But, it is beautiful.”

They stood like that until the rainbow disappeared. As they all looked down a throat cleared. It was Hook. “Could I have a moment?”

Emma gave Regina’s shoulder a squeeze and walked with Hook over to a motorcycle. Henry took the opening to ask a question. “Is Mom— Emma— is she going to move in with us?”

“She is I think. That’s what was implied at least, yes.” Regina looked over at her son, “Are you okay with that and all that it means?”

“That you’re— you’re in love with each other?” Regina nodded, “Yes. I mean, now I don’t just have two Moms, I have two— Moms.” He frowned, “Are you guys going to get married?”

Regina shook her head, “I don’t know.”

“Oh, and if it doesn’t work out, will you maybe hate her again one day?”

Regina glanced over where Hook and Emma were talking. “I hope not Henry. She’s… both of you, have made me a different person.” She focused on Henry again, “You’re sure you’re okay with this?”

Henry rolled his eyes, “Yes, I mean, I kinda guessed that you liked her. And you guys have been making gooey eyes at each other for years now Mom.”

“We have not.” Henry made a face, “Have we?” Henry laughed.

oOOOOo

“Killian, are you okay? You weren’t at the…”

“Epic battle? No. This— Alti— did something to me. Put my fears on a loop in my head. It wasn’t pleasant.”

Emma gestured back towards the tents, “Are you gonna have something to eat?”

“No, no, I just wanted to say my farewells well, mostly to you.” He shrugged, “Only to you.”

“You’re leaving?”

Hook put a hand on the handlebars of his motorcycle. “It’s not the Jolly Roger, but it’ll do.”

“I’m sorry that I did those things. I’d like to say that it was all The Dark One, but, it wasn’t.”

Hook nodded, “I know. We were rocky from the start. It’s always been that way for me.”

Emma was silent for a minute, “Hey, don’t use your usual lines on the women of this realm Hook, you’ll get a swift kick in the nads for it.”

Hook laughed and took one of Emma’s hands, “It doesn’t have to be a solo journey.”

Emma shook her head and extracted her hands, “I want to be here— with my son, with my family.” She paused, “With Regina. This fear— it helped you? You seem different?”

Hook nodded, “It did. I need to start over. No Liam hanging over me, no Crocodile, no magic, and no love of any sort, true or otherwise. Just a fresh start where I’m not a villain or a hero. I’m just Killian Jones.”

Emma stood still for another moment, then put a hand on Hook’s arm. “The accent’ll slay them.”

Hook closed the gap between them and pulled Emma in for a hug. When Hook pulled away he put a hand to Emma’s face for just a moment and stepped back. “I-- I’m sorry Emma.”

Emma clapped Hook on the shoulder, “You’ll find something that’s yours and only yours. Maybe you’ll find another Milah too.”

Hook shook his head and threw his leg over the bike, “Doubt that. Don’t get yourself killed Swan.”

The motorcycle started with a roar, and after fish tailing at first Hook flew down the sidewalk, onto the street, and towards the edge of town.

Emma leaned on the railing along the boardwalk and looked out at the harbor. Regina joined her, and before the brunette could say a word Emma leaned over and kissed Regina.

Regina was hesitant at first, due mostly in part to what had happened the last time that Snow White had seen her kissing someone. But when Cora didn’t appear, and Snow didn’t come rushing over to pry them apart Regina relaxed. She hooked a finger through one of Emma’s belt loops, trying to pull Emma close enough that their legs would fit in the same pair of pants.

They were interrupted when Roland slammed head first into Regina’s knees and tumbled to the ground. His eyes welled with tears, but Regina swept him into her arms, “What are you doing Roland.”

He sniffed, “Tag. Sorry, sorry…”

Regina brushed a lock of hair from his eyes, “What if you’d bumped into someone who is littler than I am?”

Roland nodded, “Go slower. Down, down…” Regina raised an eyebrow, “Pwease?”

“I don’t know, first… I think that we need a zerbert attack…”

Roland wiggled and wiggled in Regina’s arms, “No, no, no zerberts, no zerberts…”

“Okay, no zerberts today since it’s a special occasion. But, you’d better watch out tomorrow young man…” Regina smiled and kissed Roland’s forehead before letting him down. He scampered away, going marginally slower than before.

“You’re his Mom you know. He never really knew Marian, and Clorinda might be fun, but, these past eight months you’ve been his Mom, you’re gonna be his Mom forever now.”

Regina sighed and winced as he fell forward onto his hands, paused, and got back up. “I know. I-- I didn’t do it on purpose.”

“Didn’t say that you did. I think it’s good.”

“I’m going to resign as Mayor.” Regina took a step away from Emma, but Emma matched that step with one of her own. “I’m sorry, that came out more bluntly than I meant it to.”

Emma studied Regina, “You have a plan?”

Regina nodded, “I’ve been thinking about it on and off for the last eight months, yes.”

“What’s your plan?”

“A farm on the burned out houses’ lands.”

A sheepish look appeared on Emma’s face, “Uh, you mean the houses that we, sort of made spontaneously combust with our, um…”

“Sex. Yes. No one was living in the before, no one has seemed to want to move into them since the curse broke four years ago, so I thought… I mean, you’re the Sheriff, I wouldn’t want you to stop doing that, you’re pretty good at it.” Regina winced, “Much better than your father.” She paused, “You can live here, or we can figure something out, or…”

Emma put her hand over Regina’s mouth, “Shush woman. As long as you don’t get any ideas about the Bug we’ll figure it out together.” Emma rested her head on Regina’s shoulder and turned them both to face the harbor again. “We’ll figure it all out.”


End file.
